The Contessa and The Marquis
by Lady Obsess A Lot
Summary: Coryanna, the youngest Contessa of Whitehorn, has a secret. The Gift. Most un-lady like for a Courtier. So how will she balance her studies, her conservative family and finding a rich husband? Now back and edited!
1. The Contessa

The Contessa

Coryanna walked to the barren crest of the path. The dusty dawn kissed her chocolate curls. She sighed with polite jealousy at the distant view of the Queen's Riders who trained below here feet, beyond the hill. Another satin step on the path brought Coryanna to the stable the Nobles made use of. Her horse, a blue roan named Berry, would be happy to see her, if no one else in Corus was.

The youngest daughter of the Countess of Whitehorn searched the stable with cautious olive eyes, hoping not to be seen. If her mother knew where she was she would think it quite unbecoming. Luckily, the Countess was more concerned about finding proper husbands for her older daughters than about the whereabouts of her youngest.

The Contessa breathed in the sweet scent of hay and manure, a scent that reminded her of her father, the late Count of Whitehorn. She froze for the briefest moment, catching her emotions and forcing them away from her. Emotion would only lead to trouble. It always had and always would.

Coryanna found Berry's stall and ran her fingertips across the mare's velvet flanks in greeting. Her horse snuffed in response to the touch and the Contessa searched for a brush. She was thorough in caring for her horse and returned the brush to its proper place. Her hand paused to caress Berry's tack. The leather was cool, inviting. Instead of handling the tack, Coryanna pulled a few sugar cubes from her pocket and offered them to Berry.

"I'll make friends with some of the nobles," Coryanna promised in a whisper as Berry lipped the cubes. "then we can go riding with them. You can stretch your legs a bit, you'd like that wouldn't you?" Berry turned to let her big brown eye stare at the girl. "You can't judge me harshly, Berry," she said, "I've only just come out. Two weeks isn't that long, I hope you know!"

Berry snuffed at her, and Coryanna pulled out an apple that she had tucked in her bag. The horse took it gingerly and chomped it to mush with eloquence. The girl murmured soft praises to Berry.

"She's a beautiful thing isn't she?" asked a bubbly voice. Coryanna's back tensed, she smiled at her mistake. The stable's silence had tricked her into believing she was the only person around.

"She is at that," Coryanna responded. She turned to face the deep blue eyes of Princess Kalasin. A heavy midnight braid hung over the princess' thin shoulder. She wore britches and a soft cotton shirt that matched her eyes. Coryanna curtsied in shock.

"Your Highness, I-"

"Oh, Kali, you shouldn't frighten people so early in the morning," said a new voice with a laugh. Coryanna saw a short girl with strawberry blond hair and hazel eyes peering at her. Coryanna blinked, she didn't know this girl, although she had seen her with Kalasin many times before.

"I'm not startled," Coryanna said quickly, "I'm sorry, I can go."

"Oh," Kalasin said, "don't let us chase you away."

"Your Highness," Coryanna said, regaining her polished manners, "it is no trouble at all. I have done all I needed to." Berry tossed her head restlessly.

"Would you like to come riding with us?" Kalasin asked. "Roald and Thom are saddling their mounts now. And it's such a wonderful morning for a ride."

"I'd- I'd-," Coryanna stuttered, Berry butted her shoulder lightly and the red headed girl giggled, Coryanna smiled and said, "Berry would love it, as would I, your Highness." It would be poor manners to deny the princess wouldn't it?

"We have a condition," the other girl said seriously, steeping forward with an extended hand, "if you call her 'Highness' and 'Princess' the whole time I'll get annoyed. She prefers Kali. I'm Ali."

Coryanna's eyes widened at calling the princess by her nickname. She glanced at Kalasin with shock, the princess looked amused.

"You're the only one to scare anyone, Ali," Kali told her. Ali stuck her tongue out at her while she firmly shook Coryanna's sagging hand. "Your name is Coryanna, right?"

"Yes," she replied with a smile.

"There you are," said another voice, smoky brown curls covered the head of a pretty young woman that smiled carefully at the girls. "The boys are saddled up and waiting. And I fixed Star's ankle for you Ali."

"Thanks, Aunt Daine," Ali said.

"Of course."

"Aunt Daine, this is Coryanna, she's riding with us today," Kali said with a smile.

"A pleasure to meet you," Coryanna said.

Daine extended a hand, which Coryanna took more firmly than she had before. "Good to meet you, too." Blue-grey eyes pierced through her, Daine smiled cautiously, Coryanna returned the smile. "Enjoy the ride."

"We will," Ali said with a smirk. "Saddle up, I'll meet you two outside, shall I?"

Coryanna saddled up quickly, not wanting to keep them waiting, but then hurried over a double check of her tack. How embarrassing would it be to fall off her horse due to her tack?

Her speed resulted in finishing first and meeting the men outside, she paused nervously, but continued as she spied Daine chatting with the three of them. Daine and Coryanna shared a smiled.

"Roald, Alan, Thom, this is Coryanna, Ali and Kali invited her along,"

"We needed to even the numbers," Ali called from the stable, leading her mount with KalI behind her. "There were far too many men about."

The boys gave greetings as Coryanna curtsied, and blushed at the informal introduction she was just given. The girls mounted up and Coryanna followed suit, thanking the Gods that she had decided on wearing riding skirts today. Her companions all wore breeches which she eyed with envy.

They road off on the path into the forest, and Coryanna studied the others. Roald and Kali she knew, of course, were the blue eyed and black haired children of King Jonathan and Queen Thayet. She knew Roald had recently won his shield. Coryanna could remember very little about Kali, except that it was rumored that she was to marry the Emperor of Carthak in the fall.

The other three looked related although she wasn't positive about that, they all shared the same hazel eyes. The two youngest were twins, Ali and Alan, they shared the same round faces and the same strawberry blonde hair. The older red head was Thom, the name rang in her mind slightly, was he the oldest son of the Lioness?

Coryanna forced herself to stop thinking and started listening to the conversation, someone, possibly Roald, had asked Alan how his training was going.

"Put it this way," Alan replied, "I'm glad to be off for the summer."

"We all are," Thom added with a smirk.

"Don't tell me your bored, Master Mage?" Ali asked.

"Never," Thom said, "But it's nice to a landscape again. Not to mention you guys, my annoying little sister, I could take or leave."

Ali stuck her tongue out at her oldest brother and urged her horse forward, closing the gap between herself and Kali. Coryanna laughed lightly and Thom slowed his mount to pace her, asking, "Do you have troublesome siblings, Coryanna?"

"Two of them," Coryanna replied, happy to find her voice bright and colored with amusement.

Thom grinned. "More trouble than their worth."

Alan glanced back at his brother and called, "A pain through my heart, brother, dear!"

"Maybe I should clarify, troublesome sisters. I have no quarrel with my brother who should have been a Player."

"I have a problem with the two of you," Ali complained. "Maybe its brothers that are no good. What do you think, Kali?"

"That might be true," Kali said, with a small smile to her brother.

"I think it is brothers," Roald said quietly, "we are a rather noisy lot."

"Traitor," Thom teased. The lot of them laughed gayly.

Coryanna sighed in contentment, it was pleasant to relax her guard for a change. She kept her emotions, her facial expressions and everything in check. But today the sun warmed her skin, laughter filled her ears and her courtly persona slid down.

There was a sudden break in the smooth conversation. Kali asked Ali a question that she didn't respond to. She stopped her mount, the rest of the company a few beats behind.

"What is it?" Alan breathed.

"I'm not sure," Ali murmured. "Get ready."

"For what?" Coryanna asked, frightened, her feelings in complete disarray. In response to her tone Kali and Thom positioned themselves around her protectively. Alan and Roald drew swords, Ali pulled a knife from her belt.

"Spidrens," Roald hissed pointing out some thick webbing, partially hidden behind large, velvety leaves. Chills ran up Coryanna's spine. She had met with spidrens before. It had not ended well.

Coryanna was perceiving the deepness of the forest now, the sky could have been dark behind the expanse of trees, a preternatural glow was all that her eyes could see with. The horses sensed the danger and shuffled nervously. A noise that could have been the wind in the trees made the group turn. Coryanna saw a large furred body plunge from a tree on top of the prince. A mix between a gasp and a scream escaped her lips. Roald fell from his horse.

A dozen more furred bodies appeared from the trees. Coryanna saw the distorted faces that gnashed their teeth menacingly at the heels of the humans and horses. Fierce delight apparent on their gruesome faces.

Kali raced to her brothers' side. The limp body of a spidren rested a few feet from the prince, but Roald clutched his arm where a large gash had formed, soaking his shirt with blood. Ali was fighting with the grace of a cat, keeping any of the immortals away from the two of them. Alan watched her back. Watching them was like watching an intricate dance, equal and opposite, as if they could read each others minds.

Thom guarded her from attack as well as he could, throwing complex magic nets that strangled the monsters that nipped at their feet. Somehow Coryanna had managed to stay on her horse, like Thom, the rest of the party wrestled on the ground, outnumbered and trapped. The contessa froze as a yelp of pain broke into her consciousness.

Ali was down, and Alan was overwhelmed by the swarm. One of the monsters had gotten face to face with Kalasin while she attempted to heal her brother, Roald moved in front of her, shielding her with his bad arm, and raising his sword with a grimace. Thom was focused on his siblings, who were also drowning in the furred bodies.

Fear burst from Coryanna's chest, a fear that was more than fear, something that had not happened to Coryanna in nearly ten years. A sound like the crack of a whip echoed across the trees and bodies. The contessa's eyes swam in darkness and she swayed in her saddle, listening to the roaring in her head. She fought, and slowly she regained her sight. There was silence for a long moment, the spidrens had all convulsed and collapsed to the sodden ground.


	2. The Contessa's Secret

The Contessa's Secret

"Is everyone alright?" Thom asked, dismounting and inspecting the gash on Ali's thigh.

"I'm fine," Ali said, pushing herself upright. Thom kept her on the ground while he healed the wound. "Don't baby me," she murmured to him, wincing at his touch.

"I'll baby you when the God's turn the rain into fire," Thom told her with a grin. Kali had finished healing her brother and was helping him to mount up.

"How did spidrens make a trap so close to the main path?"

"It's early in the summer," Roald said, "and its mostly a pleasure ride. Maybe no one has travelled it."

"Spidrens work fast," Kali added. "This trap could have been assembled last night in hopes that someone might stumble on it. Look, the web's fresh."

"That was a powerful good spell, Thom," Alan said, clapping his brother on the shoulder. Thom looked up at him surprised.

"I didn't cast it," Thom said, looking at Kali.

"Nor did I," Kali said.

"Roald?" Thom asked. The prince shook his head, his face was pale. Coryanna blinked as her energy slowly returned. Her cheeks turned a steady rose color and Thom eyed her with suspicion.

"We should go," Coryanna murmured.

"Was that you?" Ali asked. "You have the Gift? I can't even see it. I- Is it-?"

"You've effectively stunned Ali," Kali said with a laugh, mounting and motioning for the rest of the group to follow suit. They turned back down the path. The ride was much quieter than before.

"What spell was that?" Thom asked quietly. Coryanna didn't respond.

"Are you two holding up okay?" Kali asked.

"Yes," Roald said.

"I wasn't even hurt bad," Ali said.

"We're lucky Coryanna was with us," Kali said gently.

"Yes, Coryanna," Roald said, "we all owe you our lives. "

"We do," Kali said. A long silence followed the thanks, enough so that the light began to break through the trees. Coryanna saw her haven, the stables, a few yards away from the edge of the trees.

"Coryanna..." Thom said.

"Please, don't," she said, tears brimming over her eyes and on to her cheeks. Thom dropped his words and looked away. The party broke through the trees.

"We should tell Mama and Papa," Kali said. "They'll send out a hunting party."

"Auntie Thayet is with the riders," Ali said, "I can go."

"You're going straight to the castle," Thom said. "You just had a healing."

"I'll go," Kali said, "would you take the mounts, Alan?"

"Of course."

Coryanna managed her own mount and Thom helped Alan handle the others. After having thoroughly brushed Berry the contessa hugged her fiercely. Letting tears dampen her horses neck. Coryanna breathed deeply.

"What happened, Alan?" asked a familiar voice.

"We ran into a whole nest of spidrens on the path. Roald and Ali got scratched up, but we're all fine."

"Oh no," Daine murmured. Coryanna imagined a trace of guilt on her tongue, but couldn't be sure.

"Not to worry, Aunt Daine," Alan said, "we're all fine, and Kail's letting their Majesties know. They'll send out a rider group to ferret out the last of them."

"Yes, but a whole nest of them? Tkaa says it's just past mating season, their eggs've hatched by now. That means..."

"A dozen, at least. Maybe more, I didn't see."

"How did you get away?"

"That girl. Coryanna. She's a mage, I think."

"You think?"

"She- I don't know."

"Well, come on, I want to check on Roald and Ali." The sound of their footsteps died off after a moment, leaving Coryanna fretting. Would they say that she used magic? Would they tell her all too conservative family? Fear thudded in her chest. A fear that she struggled to control. Coryanna worked on her breathing.

"Coryanna," said a voice which made her jump. She looked at Thom standing just outside the stall. The contessa looked at the ground. "I just wanted to say thank you," he said.

"Please," she pleaded to his feet. "Don't tell my family. Please."

A hazy understanding wandered into Thom's eyes. "I won't-"

"If you do I'll- I'll just-"

But Thom never found out what would happen if Coryanna's family found out about the spidrens, because Coryanna fled from the stables, tears still pouring down her face. She reminded herself to handle her emotions, she hadn't been so out of control since she was six.


	3. Broken Promises

Broken Promises

A week had passed with cautious trepidation on Coryanna's part, today was the first day she awoke without the fear that her mother had somehow discovered her Gift. Instead she worried about appearing in Court tonight. It would be the first time since the incident that she would see any of the riding party, and she knew she owed them some sort of explanation. But she had none to give. Nothing she could say in the span of a few sentences, at least. No her story would be much too long and involved for a dance. Tonight was not a night for stories.

Coryanna was the first to rise, as was usual so she watched the dawn break over the horizon. Dawn was her favorite time of day, it meant a fresh start. The starry night could be wiped clean, like a tablet smeared with chalk. Coryanna breathed. Watching the dawn made her days easier, keeping her emotions in check was her primary focus, and the dawn was the reason for the focus. The sight was wonderful. The sound of her sisters however was not, but they brought her back to reality. Back to life.

"He smiled while he danced with me."

"He danced with me first."

"It doesn't matter who he danced with first, you're a whole year older than him. He couldn't even consider marrying you."

"I may be older, but you look older."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

Coryanna's sisters were two of a kind. They both took after the Countess, blonde, tall women with glassy blue eyes and frosty smiles. They dressed alike and spoke with the same cadence, and they both considered themselves worthy wives for Prince Roald. Coryanna had said once, not very loudly, that Roald should take them both, that he might not realize the difference. Having met the shy prince she wished now that he could see past the beauty of her sisters. Although she wasn't being fair to Roald, he never spent more time with any lady in particular, and he always danced with every lady at the ball. Diplomatic of him, she thought and found herself wondering who Roald did fancy.

"Girls," the Countess of Whitehorn said, "my nerves dears, have some compassion."

In all sixteen years of Coryanna's life she had never seen any problems or sickness in her mother, despite her constant complaints about her nerves. When the Count was alive he would whisper to Coryanna that the Countess' nerves began to bother her when her daughters learned to speak.

Coryanna missed her father now. Her mother wasn't particularly mean or aggressive. No nothing of the sort, Coryanna counted herself lucky to have such a mother. The problem was that her mother had old fashioned morals in a growing Realm. Lady Knights, mages, danger around every corner? All things that Coryanna and her sisters, Ella and Fiona needed to be protected from. Ella and Fiona wanted that protection, craved it. Coryanna was more like her father in every respect.

The Countess was beautiful in her time, and not unkind. Change was her worst enemy and Court was her favorite game. She encouraged her older daughters to look for men with heavy purses, not love. Which was typical, perhaps if one was lucky they might fall in love with a rich man, but such things were rare. Coryanna learned this from the cradle. She must not marry for love. She must marry for security. A problem that may not have occurred had her father not died.

The Count had three children who he loved very much, but they were females, and could not inherit after his passing. Instead the entire estate of Whitehorn and its people became the property of Coryanna's uncle. Their uncle was a kind man and gave them each a dowry, but could do no more. So the girls went off to find husbands and to make son's, because the eldest born son of the next generation would inherit Whitehorn when their Uncle passed into the hands of the Black God. So the race was on, to find either the richest husband, or the one that would give them a male heir.

Preparing for Court was a ritual that took an entire day. Hair need to be curled into the current fashion, jewelry needed to be polished and perfect, and face paint had to be artfully applied to each face. Dresses were last and made in the style made popular by her Majesty. Coryanna smiled at the reflection of her dress and dainty satin slippers in her looking glass, but frowned as she made her way through the halls to enter the Court.

The food was, as always too rich for Coryanna's tastes, and the introductions of the new court ladies were much too boring. Coryanna much preferred the dancing and music to all of the humdrum and decorum. She did not expect to be asked to dance for the first dance, and she definitely did not expect the asker.

Prince Roald bowed to Coryanna politely and offered his hand to take hers, she did in shock, having thought his mission was one of her sisters. Coryanna bit her lip at the thought of the questions she would have to answer to both her sisters and the prince. It was not like the two of them had never danced before, Roald made sure never to slight anyone. But the first dance with the prince was an honor, to every lady in court, except Coryanna it seemed.

They danced for a moment in silence before Roald said, "I wanted to thank you again, Coryanna." The Contessa blushed fiercely and looked away. Roald hurriedly added, "Thom said that you wanted us to keep quiet. And we have. But that does not stem my gratitude."

"It was nothing, Roa-, you Highness," Coryanna blushed. She had begun to think of him as a person, not as a king-to-be. Roald smiled at her words and bowed at the end of the song.

"We'll see each other again," Roald promised.

"I'd like that."

Coryanna's next surprise came from the princess, who had taken her after the first dance and thanked her herself. Kali also promised that no word would get back to her family, Thom had done well by her. Kali chatted with Coryanna and some of the other noble ladies as well. Kali took special care to introduce herself to the newly come out girls. Kali was also expected to dance with every male in the court that asked her so she seemed to be constantly dashing about.

The contessa appreciated the effort of the Royal family to thank her, even though she felt as if she didn't deserve it. After all, she only lost control of herself and gotten lucky. What if she had missed and killed her new friends? Coryanna shuddered at the thought.

It was something Kali had said though on her way from one dance partner to the next. Coryanna had not caught the whole phrase between the movement and the music, but she distinctly heard, "...when my parents thank you..." The phrase made Coryanna sweat, she dabbed the moisture away and breathed. Their Majesties knew!

While Kali was being swept away by some earl or duke or lord of some sort Thom made his way over to Coryanna. He wore the robes of a student mage, which were slightly wrinkled from too much sitting and not enough dancing. He smiled at Coryanna, a smile that she weakly returned.

"A pleasure to see you again, Coryannna," Thom said.

"You told," she accused.

"I did not," Thom said indignantly.

"You did so, Kali just told me that their Majesties want to meet with me."

"Ah," Thom said, "I did do that."

"Why?" moaned Coryanna

"They just want to thank you."

"My mother will kill me. Murder me and feed the pieces to Stormwings."

"I doubt that."

"I don't."

"I suppose you would know her best," Thom said, he paused, making sure to look directly into her eyes. "She won't find out, Coryanna."

"But, you told their Majesties..."

"I also mentioned discretion. They understand. For the most part."

"Oh," she mumbled.

"Feel better?"

"No."

Thom laughed, "And why not?"

"I told you not to tell, and you went off and told the world."

"Actually, I believe you asked me not to tell your family. I was free to tell anyone I wish." Coryanna glared at him, rerunning the conversation in her mind. "Besides, there's something about your Gift. It's not visible, and it's powerful. But I can't lock it down."

"That's what my father said," Coryanna said, stiffening as she said it. Confide in Thom? she thought, I barely know him! But speaking with Thom was easy, like speaking to a best friend or to Berry.

"What? That he can't lock it down? Where is he? Does he-?"

"He's dead," Coryanna said shortly.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Thom said lamely.

Coryanna looked at the floor for a moment, blinked away the tears that threatened to form in her eyes and said, "Excuse me, I should get back to my sisters." She turned then and walked away.

"They want an audience, their majesties" Thom told her back, she turned back slightly to listen. "Is the noon bell okay for you?"

"It's fine," Coryanna murmured and melted into the crush of dancing figures and scenery.


	4. Start

Start

Coryanna was more than nervous to meet the King and the Queen. Oh sure, she had been formally introduced when she came out, but that meeting was impersonal. A necessary evil. She was just another Court lady. And now what was she? A freak that happened to be in the right place at the right time, that was all. Nothing special, no one to fuss over.

She made herself presentable, and dodged questions from her sisters by asking them about the ball. Which launched each of them into detailed accounts of false romances and arguments about who the prince might marry. Coryanna left quietly.

A servant had discreetly slipped her a note that morning, she was to meet their Majesties in one of the under used antechambers. She was both grateful and fearful for this choice. No one would see her there or question her, but at the same time she feared the unknown passages that twisted deep into the palace. As she reached the room another thought washed over her. What if the King and Queen understood that she was dangerous? A time bomb, seconds from explosion. A danger to anyone she got close to. Her heart clenched painfully at the thought.

Should I turn back? she wondered. She stood frozen for a few moments, trying to convince herself that this would not end with her disgrace. It would be foolish to turn back now. She was very nearly late. She had to go in. She knocked on the door and opened it.

The Queen sat at a table in the center of the room, and she smiled encouragingly to the young contessa. The Queen was beautiful. Coryanna would even say that Queen Thayet was equally beautiful in her tan breeches and crimson shirt as her ball gowns. Her thick mane of black hair was in a delicate braid and the only jewelry she wore was a gold wedding band and some simple ear bobs. Coryanna curtsied.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, especially in these less formal circumstances, Contessa Coryanna," Thayet said, with a smile.

"The pleasure is mine."

"I had hoped that Jonathan would have come by now," the Queen confided, "but he is terribly busy."

"Oh, no, I'm early," Coryanna muttered.

"No, place the blame where it lies," Thayet said, "Jon is late. He's always late." Coryanna stifled a laugh. "My point is that we both wish to thank you. For saving tKali and Roald in the woods last week."

"Oh, truly it was-" The doors swung open and the King entered, Coryanna sprung up to curtsy and waited for him to sit before she did.

"Contessa Coryanna," the King began, "A pleasure to see you again."

"And you, your Majesty."

"You've interrupted us, Jon," Thayet told him.

"You started without me," Jonathan of Conte accused.

"You were late," Thayet replied.

"But you shouldn't be the only one that gets to thank, Contessa Coryanna."

"What should I have done? Sat here in silence waiting for you."

"We've heard a lot about you, Coryanna," the King said, being addressed so informally sent chills up the Contessa's back. "And we owe you our sincerest gratitude. Thank you."

"It wasn't much," Coryanna murmured.

"Don't be silly," Thayet said. "You saved Kali and Roald, and Thom, Alan and Ali."

"We are concerned, however, about this magic you have," Jonathan added. Coryanna's chest tightened.

"Thom tells us that you can't seem to control it," Thayet said softly, "is that so?"

"I can hold it," Coryanna whispered. "But sometimes I slip."

"Hold it?" Thayet asked.

"My mother does not wish me to use my Gift."

"What do you wish, Coryanna?"

"I am my mother's daughter. I follow her wishes."

"But, don't you want to be able to control your Gift? Wield it?"

"More than I can speak it," Coryanna admitted in a whisper, as if the walls might hear the words and spread them.

"We can help you," Thayet said. "Discreetly if you wish it."

"I-" The door opened once more, and a very tall man strode through the doors. His hair was black, but streaked with grey. He gave a bow and a smile.

"Did you start without me?"

"You were late," Jon explained. Coryanna realized that she hadn't gotten up to curtsy to the newcomer. It was much too late now. Hopefully he wouldn't notice her utter lack of decorum.

"Contessa Coryanna," Thayet said, "this is Master Numair Salmalin. We had hoped he could help you with your Gift. If you wish it." Numair was staring intently at Coryanna, as if she were a puzzle he had yet to solve, but Coryanna did not take him for unkind.

"I would like that," Coryanna replied shyly.

"Excellent," Numair said, "I understand that this is to be a discreet operation," he said, a smile on his face. He sweept her out of the room without letting her say proper goodbyes to the Monarchs. She stole a glance back, she could see from their smiles that this had not been the first time that Numair had flouted decorum in favor of study. "We can spend an hour most days, Is there a time you can get away from your family?"

"Well, near as everyday I visit the stables. But my horse wouldn't be handled if I never see her."

Numair laughed slightly, "I can arrange for her to be well taken care of."

"I normally go after the noon bell."

"That works well," he said, tugging at his nose. "When did you first learn you had the Gift, Coryanna?"

"When I was four," Coryanna smiled slightly at the faded memory.

"And did you notice yourself? Or did someone tell you?"

"My father told me that I had greatness on me. He said that most everyone has a touch of greatness. But I had more than a touch." Numair smiled at her words.

"You do have quite a bit of greatness. But not a lot of control it seems."

"I hold in my Gift. My mother says that proper ladies don't have the Gift."

"Do you know your abilities?"

"No, I can't just use my Gift. It just comes in its own. I mostly stop it."

"And what do you do to stop it?"

"I stop everything in myself. I just hold everything."

"That's where we can start," Numair said. "Have you ever meditated before? We will get you to let go of what you hold in."


	5. Painful Stories

_TomandJerry: Slow might be good for now, things will pick up real soon. I'm glad you like Coryanna and what I turned Thom into (which is a mix between Thom of Trebond, George and Numair) I like updating and will go as fast as I can. I love Thom, too! But if you notice the title of the story and the title of Thom (Baron to be?), you might find the answer. Of course it also brings up the question of who the marquis is... and boy I bet you won't see it coming. :D_

_EscapeMyFate: Thanks, sorry about the short chapters, but I stop where it feels right. You know how you can get more story out of me? Reviews!_

_Glissoning Raven: You got it!_

_horsecrazed: Thank you! You know the more you review the faster I update!_

_I decided to be nice and orient my readers a bit more than I have. The timing of this story in in one of the summers during Page, specifically the summer before Kel's fourth year as a page. Roald has his shield, but the paint is still wet. Assuming that Roald is 18-19 we can assume that Kalasin is 17-18, Thom is 16-17, Alan and Ali are 13-14 and therefore Coryanna is 16-17. Hopefully that puts the story into the right perspective for you guys._

Painful Stories

Meditation proved to be less difficult than Coryanna had thought. It was not much different than her quiet time watching the sun rise. No, the difficultly lay in Coryanna's inability to remove the barrier she had created within herself to slow the raw magic that her family found so displeasing. With the barrier in place Coryanna could not access her magic. Numair was patient, meditating for a time with her and then helping her try to reach for her Gift. It was much like beating against a wall.

Coryanna groaned in annoyance and clutched at her fiercely aching head. She had to leave soon and she desperately wanted to continue the exercises. Stupid dances, Coryanna cursed silently.

"Are you alright, Coryanna?" Numair asked, worry etched across his face.

"I can't do this," she told him, pressing her hands against her eyes.

"Of course you can," Numair said softly, "you used your magic in the forrest. The more you work on it the easier it will get."

"I know. I just can't reach it."

Numair frowned at his student, she had been trying very hard the past month and even he had to admit that they were getting nowhere fast. What had he missed? Or perhaps what had he seen that he didn't think of?

"Have you had experiences with an outburst of magic prior to that of the spidren attack?"

Coryanna looked at the floor and murmured, "Yes."

"And with these incidents? Is there a common factor?"

"Maybe," Coryanna said with a sigh, "I don't know."

"If you would like to tell me about them," Numair offered carefully, "perhaps I can see the common factor myself." Coryanna remained silent for a moment. "Do not feel obligated, of course. If they are painful in some way."

"No," Coryanna said, "I can tell you. I think." Coryanna took a deep breath and started with the easy story first. She stared determinedly at the wall as she spoke. "I went to the convent at ten, already in trouble due to my Gift. I had been expressly forbidden to use my magic, but I was somewhere new. With new people. I was frightened, I suppose, homesick. So I stayed quiet, locked away inside myself. This was how I learned to control myself. Some of the girls had studied the ways of the Yamani's, and the women who taught us found this technique favorable to a proper lady. We learned to hide our emotions behind our faces. The things they taught us to do helped me to control myself.

But there was a courtier there, a few years ahead of me who I could not control myself around. She didn't know... but she said cruel things about my father. I lost control and shattered every mirror in the building. I was punished, severely. I was lucky not to have hurt Lady Donna."

"You didn't," Numair reassured, "and you're learning."

A tear rolled down Coryanna's soft cheek at his words. "Another incident. The worst, I think, was the death of my father." Numair stayed silent. "I was taken by spiderens, the year before I went to the convent. My father sought to rescue me and when he found me he tried to fight them off. I knew a few spells, nothing helpful, and I was so afeared that I would lose everything... Something in me snapped. I blacked out, when I came around I was beneath the corpse of one of the spiderens. My father was dead nearby."

Coryanna had managed to keep herself together. No more than that one tear escaped her. She looked at Numair, who looked sad and shocked at the same time. He took the girls hand in his for a moment. This brought her some strength, she continued, "I was scared. I ran. When the soldiers found me they couldn't touch me. They said it hurt to touch my skin. I would let no one touch me for a long time."

"This was no fault of yours, Coryanna," Numair told her. Coryanna looked up at him surprised. Numair had believed her story, without even a moments hesitation. No one else had even wanted to listen to her before this.

She swallowed, "I'll never know that for certain."

"I understand your grief. I think this may be the root of your problem. At a young age..." Numair stopped, unsure if he could and should comfort the girl, she looked calm, but had she not just told him that she locked her emotions behind her face?

"I am sorry, Numair," she told him formally. "But my mother will have wondered where I got to. We have a ball tonight, you know." Numair could only nod. He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to hug her, reassure her. But he didn't know her well enough for those gestures to mean anything at all. If it were Daine it would be easier, it always was. Perhaps he should get Thom.

Sorry another short one. I promise to start making them longer.


	6. To The Gifted Go the Spoil

_TomandJerry: It was depressing wasn't it? Don't worry I will make things happy for awhile, Coryanna needs to heal a bit emotionally. I can understand your desire for Numair being Daine's teacher and Daine's teacher only, but you gotta think POTS where Numair teaches the Gifted pages about their magic. That's all I'm going off of at least. Numair's always just done what was needed of him. And the way Coryanna can't reach her Gift? Who's better to teach her than Numair. I considered Thom as her teacher, but figured that he's too young (like 16-17) and wouldn't get his mastery until say 18 earliest? I agree it would be awesome to write... damn new idea... anyway, you'll probably like Thom's role in this story, unless you don't... I might do something odd. I'm so glad you like this story! I am planning on doing a chapter a day or so. Everything is planned out I just need to write it down. You can get off your knees now, you're giving me a big head. And then I'll need a wagon to cart it around in and that just causes neck problems. :)_

_princess pauline: Yeah, I'll make an effort to fix my grammar and stuff, I just get so wrapped up in the rest sometimes ya know? You are very right, she trusts these people way faster than anyone else would, part of it was me dragging out the wrong stuff, and part of it is Coryanna herself. She is almost completely rational right now. She been pushing her emotions so far back that she can't function like a normal person. At least it's my excuse as of yet. :) I am so glad you love Coryanna, I put some work into this character. Hoping you'll continue the love!_

_Okay, now the real story is about to start... I guess I did drag that on too long. :) My problem at the moment is that I have a million ideas for other stories, and a little too much lethargy for this one since its done in my head. It would be easier if you guys could just read my mind and therefore the story. So start working on that, until then I'll keep writing._

To The Gifted Go the Spoil.

Torn between family duty and magical responsibilities, Coryanna was in a poor position. There was nothing more she would rather do than work for hours on end on her studies, reach past the glass in her mind that separated her from her Gift. She did appreciate her reflection in the mirror however, her dress was green to match her eyes and the skirts did _swoosh_ nicely as she walked. She tried to appreciate the little things. Her friendship with Kali and the dancing that she might partake in.

After her dinner she searched for Kalasin, suddenly afraid that the princess might have decided that Coryanna was not friend material. Before she completed her search a hand entered her field of vision.

"May I have this dance?" a voice asked.

Coryanna's eyes rose to the speakers, he was one of the Tirrsmont boys. He had blonde hair and clear grey eyes. "Of course," Coryanna replied, she kept her eyes searching for Kali, but she took the hand and followed the tall boy onto the dance floor. He gripped her waist a little too tightly and stared at little lower than her face. Coryanna took it for nerves and wondered what he was nervous about, she gave up her search for the princess and smiled at her dance partner. The boy finally locked eyes with her.

"I'm sorry, your Lord Tirrsmont's son?"

"Yes, Raymond of Tirrsmont."

"Coryanna of Whitehorn."

"Yes."

"So," Coryanna said after a long pause, "have you been at Court long?"

"No."

"I haven't been here much more than a month yet," Coryanna said. A pause. "It's quite a pleasant evening."

"Yes."

Coryanna sighed, resigning herself to finish the dance in silence. She resumed her search for Kali. The music stopped and she hadn't found the princess yet. Her heart sunk a little, she couldn't bring herself to walk back to her empty table. Even her mother had found a dance partner. She also couldn't handle another silent dance from the odd Raymond of Tirrsmont.

Coryanna was half contemplating sneaking away for a few hours as Raymond escorted her to her seat, but she saw Thom come to her as she sat. She waited for him, slightly embarrassed.

"Hello," Thom said, with a short bow. "Good week?"

"Good and bad," she replied.

"Would you like to dance?"

Coryanna nodded, could she have said no to him? She finally listened to her sister's court gossip on Thom of Pirate's Swoop who was the second most eligible bachelor in Court. Of course it would be more of a challenge to capture his heart, he was working on his mastery and perhaps even his black robe. Coryanna could admit that he was handsome, and could also say that he was easy to speak to. But she could feel no pull towards him, or any of the men in the room. Perhaps she would also be drawn more to magic than men. Of course, if she could never reach her magic... No. She wouldn't consider that. Her frustration must have shown on her face because Thom asked.

"How's the lessons?" Coryanna looked up shocked that he knew that she was even taking lessons. He winced, "Sorry. I thought you knew. It was sort of my idea."

"Your idea?" she asked. "I thought it was the King's idea."

"He took the lead from my thoughts," Thom said, almost smugly.

"My lessons are doing poorly. But I assume you know that too."

Thom smiled, almost chastised. "Uncle Numair did mention-"

"Uncle?"

"Not an Uncle by blood. Uncle Numair is a friend to my parents."

"No wonder you know everything," Coryanna blushed at her sarcastic candor.

"Alas," Thom said, "the plight of the scholar."

"Poor you."

"Indeed," Thom said, an expression of false woe.

"You're as much a player as your brother."

Thom grinned at that then sobered, "Numair says you're having trouble."

Coryanna frowned, she had hoped that today's talk with Numair would have been between just the two of them. An academic discussion almost. It seemed as if that would not be. "Did he tell you everything?"

"He just said that you were having trouble reaching your Gift. He said something about a traumatic experience as a child. But I've never heard of that before."

"Never?" Her faith in Numair was restored and her curiosity peaked.

"I'm not Numair, I don't have all the texts memorized."

Coryanna smiled, a few lessons had taught her that Numair could go on for hours about this legend or that legend without pause. "Then why mention it?" she asked, she could see that he was uncomfortable about the conversation despite his teasing and smiles.

"I'm curious," he admitted. "As is Numair. And more than that I'd like to help. If that's alright."

"If you can. I'm calling myself a lost cause."

"That is the last thing you are," Thom told her.

"I can't get past this- this wall in my mind."

"You've got to remember, that any wall in your mind is a wall you put up yourself."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I assume Numair would have seen anything that wasn't you."

"I suppose," she replied, remembering the eerie search of her mind that Numair had done. If she thought a little she could see the wellspring of her life force. The confirmation from Numair that she held magic beneath that core was the only confirmation anyone had given her since her father had mentioned her greatness.

"What happened in the forrest?" Thom asked after a moment. Coryanna brought herself back to reality, how long had they been dancing? It had seemed only moments, but Coryanna could feel a weariness on herself. She looked around and saw Kali dancing with some unknown lord, the princess smiled at her and Coryanna returned the smile.

"The forrest," she murmured. "I was afraid. Terrified. And the fear leapt out of me. I nearly fainted, my vision swam. And the spiderens were dead."

"Fear," Thom said, considering the word, "that sounds normal. Magic is uncontrolled in children and when they have tantrums they use their Gifts unintentionally."

"I don't understand any of this," Coryanna said.

"Think positively," Thom suggested. "Maybe you're thinking you can't do it, so you won't let yourself." Coryanna considered that, and shook away the forming headache.

"Is that what they teach you at the University?"

Thom smiled, "I took a few classes in non magical healing."

"Why would you need that? I thought you had healing magic."

"I do. Powerful magic, like Ma's. But I can be drained, it's more practical to know how to heal without the Gift," Thom told her.

"That's smart," Coryanna told him, her mind racing with her own desperate need to learn.

"It is nearly time for the ball to end."

"It is?" Coryanna looked around, Thom was right. The crowds were thinning and the servants were beginning to clear away the rubbish of the nobles. How had the night gone so fast?

"I was wondering," Thom said carefully. "If I might attend your lessons?"

Coryanna smiled. "Of course," she told him. Thom smiled and turned to leave, "And Thom?" Thom paused and turned, a sweet smile on his lips. "Thank you."


	7. Addition

_TomandJerry: You love Thom, eh? I've got a lot planned with him, cause I love him too. But I hope you won't hate what I do to poor Thom in this story. Thank you and I shall._

Addition

"My theory is," Numair began, "that your emotions are linked with your magic."

"I don't understand," Thom said, "isn't that obvious? All raw magic is linked to emotions." Coryanna agreed with their new addition, wasn't it obvious that her emotional responses triggered her magic? The entire reason she hid herself behind her own skin?

"I think that it is so ingrained into yourself and your emotions that they have become one. You'll have to forgive me, my knowledge of human mental processes is limited, but I would have to guess that your traumatic experience, Coryanna, triggered a defense mechanism that has merged your unconscious emotion and your Gift. The combination of that grief and the training you received at the Convent created this anomaly."

"So, what your saying," Thom said slowly, "is that Coryanna's Gift receded into her life force? This is why we can't see it just to look at her?"

"Precisely."

"I'm not sure I understand," Coryanna said. "Can I get it out?"

"We can only guess at that, and that will get us no where. And it seems as if the normal approach is not working."

"Will Coryanna be able to use her magic as we do?" Thom asked, looking at Coryanna with more curiosity than she liked, she began to regret letting him come to her lessons. When Thom and Numair got together the words got longer and the sentences confused her more and more.

"Well, in magic the thought is in the deed," Numair said, considering the question. "But for this case the emotion sets the deed. It is not yet rectifiable whether her magic can emerge from the emotional shield. Spells seem out of the question for now. We tried lighting candles, did we not?"

There was a long pause, and Coryanna realized that she had stopped listening. "I'm sorry," she said, "I am completely lost."

Thom and Numair grinned sheepishly. "We do get caught up in our academia don't we?"

Coryanna smiled at them, "Tell me what I need to know. Tell me how I control my Gift through my emotions."

"Only you can know that, I'm afraid," Numair said.

"What good does that do then?" Coryanna asked, sinking into a chair.

"We can help," Numair amended. "It will take work. I have a few theories. But you need to completely trust us. You need to let go of your restrictive stance on emotion."

Coryanna paused, she trusted them, they had good hearts, but like every trust Coryanna had formed since her fathers death there were limits. She could never let herself go. She couldn't remember the last tear she had shed, before all this craziness at least, although she felt she must have cried for her father. She couldn't remember her last genuine smile at all, one that showed her blissfully happy. The ride through the forrest, that had been the closest thing to happiness in ages. Every moment, every word she uttered remained detached from her, every thought and every feeling. Sure, she had slipped, emotion could never be erased, but what about the years where she had not reacted with emotion? When she considered everything with a single rational view? Yes, it had been a horrible existence, it had made her ignorant, incapable of deciding and dealing with problems. There was no hurt, but there was no pleasure.

Coryanna closed her eyes, "I will try," she said. "I will try my very hardest."

"That's all we can ask for," Numair told her.

"What are you planning on doing?" Thom asked.

"We can start slowly. We can inspire emotion in you, I think," Numair replied. "Fear would be easier, but not ethical. Happiness might be next, or sadness. What do you think, Coryanna? What emotion would you like to try first?"

"I- I don't know," she murmured. "I'm not even sure how to go about becoming happy or sad. I can't think of anything that could do that."

"You seemed happy at the ball," Thom pointed out. Numair looked at Thom questioningly.

"It's a mask," Coryanna said, "It's true, I was enjoying dancing with you. But it brought me no happiness. I smile because you expect me to and because I am trained to please."

"It seems we are fortunate with Thom's help then," Numair said, "I assign you both to find Coryanna's happiness. Do whatever you must. Meditate daily, learn to release your guard. Thom will have to stick by you though, so that he can control any over barring magical outcome. And this does come at an opportune time. Our lessons must be postponed for a while. Your father, Thom, has asked me to help him up north. Daine and I will be leaving the day after tomorrow."

Thom smiled, "Don't let Da push you too hard."

Numair smiled back, "Knowing your father, he'll be in the thick of it all."

"He's near as crafty as the Trickster himself," Thom replied.

"Don't wear yourself out Coryanna," Numair said with a sardonic smile, "this is by far the best assignment I've ever had to give. Don't ruin it by trying too hard."

Coryanna smiled wryly, "I'll try."

Thom and Coryanna left together. They walked quietly through the halls for a few moments until Thom said, "What would you like to do then, Coryanna?"

"I'm not sure," she said, "what do you do for fun?"

"Normally I stick my nose in a book actually. But I was thinking about something more active."

"Books are too calming," Coryanna agreed.

"Sometimes I will go riding, or let Alan teach me to string a bow. We could go into the city if you like."

"I'm not sure my mother would allow that," Coryanna said.

"Well," Thom considered, "mayhaps I won't take Contessa Coryanna. Mayhaps I'll take Rye, the daughter of a merchant."

Coryanna laughed, "That adds the danger of getting caught."

"Danger can be fun."

"Alright," Coryanna said bravely. "When would you like to go?"

"Tomorrow."

She paused a moment, "Okay. You and Me. The Market. Tomorrow."


	8. Secrets, Spies and Splendor

Secrets, Spys and Splendor

Coryanna had never been to Corus like this before. She stood in the center of the road, Thom at her side, with the intention of walking and peering and and being all too common. Coryanna reminded herself to let go of everything and smiled at Thom. It was very nearly genuine.

"Where to?" she asked.

"That's up to you," Thom replied. "We can go see the temples, or we can look at all the goods for sale, or we could get some food, a know a little tavern that's good."

"Can we do all of that?"

Thom laughed, "If you like."

"Temples first," Coryanna decided. "Mithros' and The Great Mother?"

"You got it."

They toured the palace district, lighting candles at Mithros' alter and looking at the grand statues. Thom wasn't allowed on the grounds of the Great Mother's temple, but he waited patiently while Coryanna looked at everything. She sent a prayer up to the Great Mother Goddess to help her find her path and found Thom again.

"Everything is so beautiful," Coryanna breathed.

"You act too much like a tourist," Thom informed her as the made their way back to the shops at the main market.

"I am," Coryanna reminded him.

"But you're not supposed to be. You're Rye, some merchant's daughter. And quite unimpressed by everything."

"And who are you?"

"I'm Thom," he said, "just a visitor."

"Well, Thom," Coryanna said gallantly, "should I be guiding your tour?"

"Yes, Mistress Rye," Thom said with a bow.

"Then let's us take in some food," Coryanna said, "did you want to take your lunch somewhere in particular?"

"The Dancin' Dove, if'n you please, Miss."

"Right this way, Master Thom."

"Uh, Mistress Rye?"

"Yes?"

"Wrong way." The two erupted in a fit of laughter as Thom showed Coryanna into the Dancin' Dove. They sat and were served lemonade and a dish of steaming fish. They joked gayly for a long while, until a waiter whispered into Thom's ear.

" 'Scuse me, Mistress Rye," Thom said with a flourish, "you'll be okay if I step to the side?"

"I'm be fine, Master Thom," Coryanna grinned. She was very close to being happy, she could even see herself with Thom one day. He was kind and funny, a man she wanted to want, even if she did have to marry money. Her mother might not approve of the match, Thom was far too liberal. But he had high standing, and a fat purse. Coryanna didn't care much for that, but she would surely not refuse a proposal of marriage if it was ever offered. Although, Coryanna thought he deserved much better than her.

While she considered her life Thom slid into a corner with a shady looking man and talk seriously. Coryanna wondered what the man could possibly want with him until a figure blocked her view.

The man was tall, and muscular. He had deep brown eyes and a rakish mop of chestnut hair. His face seemed accustom to grinning, although he wasn't grinning at the moment. Coryanna brought herself back to the moment with her visitor. He was sitting in Thom's chair. She was vaguely aware of the fact that she should be afraid of the stranger.

"Hello," Coryanna said calmly. Thom wouldn't let anyone hurt her, she reasoned, and the stranger had something good to him.

"Mistress Rye," he greeted. Coryanna stared at him for a moment, a little confused. "Yeah, I know ye."

"I'm sorry," she said, "have we met before?"

"No, Mistress," the stranger said, "I know Thommy boy from way back, is all."

"Oh," Coryanna said, some relief was evident on her face. "Its a pleasure to meet you."

"You might not want to jump to that so quick," he said. "Ye don't even have a purpose to it, have ye?"

"Well, no."

"Then it ain't no pleasure yet."

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Like I says, I known Thommy's Pa since I was a wee lad as well. An' I owe Thommy's Pa quite a bit. Saved me life, he done."

"He did? What-?"

"An' now ye see," he continued. "That I might repay this debt here, fair and simple."

"A debt?"

"Thommy deserves a good girl." Coryanna blushed in embarrassment, among other things. "And mayhap ye only have a passing fancy for the lad, but mayhaps you don't break his heart like you been?"

"Breaking Thom's heart?"

"Aye."

"It's not like that-"

"Thommy is a lad that deserves no heartache from the likes of ye. I seen the way he looks at ye. And ye? Carrying on like a common thief!"

"I do not-"

"I know what ye do with Master Numair behind closed doors."

The blood drained from Coryanna's face. "You do?"

"Aye," the stranger said. "And ye best not continue it. If'n I ever catch wind of ye going off to Master Numair's again, ye'll be hearing some nasty talk about yerself. And don't doubt it none. I got ears in the wall, I do."

Coryanna looked down at the table, tears in her eyes. Real, hot, messy tears for the first time in ages. All the candles in the inn dimmed and went out at once. A second or two went by until Thom remembered that he could light them magically and he did. In the darkness the stranger had gone. Thom returned to the contessa. She threw the tears into her sleeve and put on a smile for him. If Thom thought that the candles were her doing, he never said.

He did however worry and fret about her as she proclaimed herself ill and asked to go home. Thom left her at the door with a deep frown. Coryanna made her way to her bed and cried all night.


	9. Mistakes

_Lady Caitlin of Illinois: Thank you! Updates are coming!_

_sarabistarfire: Thank you! Actually it wasn't Marek, but you are very close! The stranger is actually only a few years older than Coryanna. I'm glad you like Coryanna, yes it is very annoying to write out her name, but you are right she doesn't have any close friends yet. But she's starting to be called Rye, that should tell you something. I'm doing the magic from a psychological perspective, it's not perfect;y written, but it certainly won't go away all at once. See the next chapter (11?) for more on that._

_This one's a bit short, but its a nice bridge to the next one where I'll bring in Ali and Alan again. I'll also start updating again on a daily basis. Or at least I will if I get more reviews! I'm expecting at least nine more chapters, if not more... :D Enjoy!_

Mistakes

"These candles wouldn't light all night! I don't know who played such a foul trick, but they shall be sorry they played it," said a voice that broke into Coryanna's consciousness. Her blanket was clenched in her fists, her eyes were wet with old tears. She had a hard thing to do today.

Numair would be gone a few weeks, she considered. She probably shouldn't wait that long. A note would be easy. Then she could run away, so she wouldn't be a danger to anyone. If she couldn't learn how to control her magic anyone who got close to her would be hurt. So she would saddle Berry and just go. The thought made her stomach twist, but what other choice was there? She couldn't explain the weird conversation with the stranger, and if she stayed? Her family would find out all about her secret.

No, Coryanna had thought it through. She'd leave and figure out the world, and she would write Numair a note, and Thom. Hopefully, what she had learned about her magic thus far would help her.

She pulled out her stationary kit. Coryanna slowly scratched the letters to parchment, she weighed each word carefully and signed the note with an apology. She glanced at herself in the looking glass and decided to wash a bit, she still wore the clothes from yesterday and her hair resembled a tumble of weeds. Coryanna finished and folded the note, tucking it into her pocket.

She met with her mother and sisters outside of her room. Her mother looked sour, her sisters weaved silken threads in their laps.

"Where are you off to Coryanna?" her mother asked.

"I had not caught up with Princess Kalasin at the last ball," Coryanna said quickly, "I had hoped to catch her and deliver my apologies before she went riding today."

Her mother narrowed her eyes at her youngest daughter. "I had noticed," she began, "that you had danced most of the night with Thom of Pirates Swoop."

"I did," Coryanna admitted.

"And does he return your affection?"

Coryanna blushed, "I am not sure, mother."

"She asked us about him the other night mother," her sister said.

"You did?" the Countess was smiling now. "How wonderfully high minded of you."

"I'm sorry?"

"You think you can capture the Lioness' son's heart?"

"I am not-"

"Don't bother masking your intentions, Coryanna," she said. "I'm not blind. You go ahead dear, and if you need any advice your sisters and I are here."

"Of course, mother," Coryanna said, her face turning a horrible scarlet color.

She turned and left the room, but as she did she heard one of her sisters say, "She'll never manage that one, Coryanna's much too plain." A hole appeared in Coryanna's gut as she closed the door. A hole also appeared in the center of her sister's newly weaved threads.

The contessa walked in stony silence, rebuilding the tiny cracks in her emotional wall. The maze of hallways leading to Numair's work rooms were empty and oddly silent. Coryanna would miss this trek, she would miss her meditation time and the puzzle that was her Gift. She considered writing notes to Thom and her mother, explaining her departure. Should she stick to the truth or should she lie? It was becoming easier with each step. Her resolve hardened just a little more.

"He's not in there mind."

Coryanna jumped. She turned and saw the stranger from the Dancing Dove. She frowned at him. "What do you want?" she asked sourly. He looked the same as he had the night before, a rakish mop of brown hair and equally brown eyes. His clothes had a little road dust on them, and he leaned on the wall casually, a frown on his face.

"I tol' ya. Ye ain't te see master Numair."

"I'm not seeing him," Coryanna replied. "He's not there, you said it yourself."

The stranger tried to hold back a grin. "Ye know what I mean."

"What do you want me to do? Just stop going all together? I have to leave him a note at the very least, to explain it to him."

"Explain to him that he's married, ye mean?"

"I think that Numair is well aware of his marriage."

"Then what are ye explainin'?"

"Not you, if that's what you're worried about. I'm telling him I can't study with him any more. Then I'll leave, and you won't have me to ruin whatever it is I'm ruining for you."

"Leave? Hows that solve anythin'?"

"I can't stay, Numair and Thom will come after me."

"Why would Thommy come after ye? Surely he don' know-"

"Of course he knows! It was his idea."

"Mistress Rye," the stranger said, "are ye or are ye not having an affair with Master Numair?"

"What? No! That's absurd! He's my teacher!"

"Oh."

"Goddess!" Coryanna exclaimed, "no wonder you were so harsh with me. I come off quite awful don't I?"

"I'm sorry," the stranger said, "awfully sorry Mistress Rye."

Coryanna began to laugh and cry simultaneously. It was a weird feeling, the hysteria. The stranger wrapped his arms around her, he was nearly a head taller than her. She clung to his cloak, letting her tears wet the dark fabric. "I'm sorry," she muttered, "I don't quite know what has come over me." He shushed her gently and smoothed her tangled hair. An ornate lantern hung on the wall above their heads, and the light bloomed brighter. As Coryanna calmed the light dimmed to a normal shine.

The stranger pulled away from the contessa slightly and looked deeply into her green eyes. The muddy stare bore into her, in a slow instant his lips were on hers. The kiss was soft and sweet. Coryanna couldn't breathe. She had barely a moment to react to his lips leaving hers. She blinked and he was gone.

Her stomach flipped at the thought of him. How wrong, she thought, and yet how right. She floated back to her room.


	10. Breaking Glass

Breaking Glass

Thom was sanding outside the door to her family's rooms. He was speaking to her eldest sister, Ella, who was twirling her golden hair and batting her eyelashes.

"Thom!" Coryanna exclaimed with a smile. Thom turned to her, relief apparent on his face.

"Coryanna," he said, "I was looking for you. Ali demands to go riding with us."

"That sounds lovely," Ella murmured, trying to regain Thom's attention.

"You hate riding, Ella," Coryanna told her with a laugh, "you don't even have any tack." Her sister shot a glare at her, and nodded silently to Thom and slammed the door behind her.

"Your sister is odd," Thom said.

"Or too normal," Coryanna said with a grin.

Thom laughed, "Perhaps."

"I'd love to go riding."

"Good, Ali will be happy. We're meeting in an hour," he said. Thom thought for a second and then asked, "Where were you?"

Coryanna paused slightly and said, "Oh, I just went to Numair's rooms, I went all the way there before I remembered he'd left."

Thom smiled, "Well, more time for riding then, yes?"

"Yes," Coryanna said. "I'll meet you down there." They smiled their goodbyes and Coryanna went into her rooms. Her sisters sat together on the lounge whispering fiercely. They stopped as she approached, Ella stared at her vindictively and Fiona tried to wipe the sly look from her eyes. Coryanna just smiled at them and went to her own room. She fell blissfully into her bed, grinning feverishly.

Coryanna turned in her bliss and stared at her candle, which was burned to the quick. Her smile faded to curiosity, she hadn't lit that candle this morning. She tried to remember her sadness from the night before, but she couldn't seem to catch the feeling. The candle burned on.

Someone must have lit it, she thought. Coryanna rose and changed into her riding skirt and fixed her hair. She left for the stables thinking about the man she didn't know.

Berry seemed happy to see her, and Coryanna saddled her with her huge smile. She led her mare out of the stable and out into the sun. Ali was outside, petting her own mare.

"Coryanna," Ali exclaimed in greeting. "You came!"

"I can't pass up a ride."

Ali smiled, "I'm glad, I didn't want to just ride with Thom and Alan. They pick on me a bit."

"They do?"

"A little," she admitted, "only cause I wanna do what our Da does and not what Ma does. I don't wanna be a knight and I don't have the Gift like you n' Thom. Oh. Sorry, I'm not supposed to bring it up."

"No," Coryanna said, "its alright as long as my Mother and sisters don't find out. I don't have a problem with my Gift anymore."

"Good," Ali said, "cause I can see it now, and I don't want to have to hide that."

Coryanna stiffened. "What?"

Ali began to laugh, "I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have told you. It's gone now."

"I'm sorry, Ali, I don't understand."

"I've got the Sight. I can see who has magic, among other things. But when I first met you I couldn't see it. A second ago it was threaded all through you. Not clear, but visible. It's gone now, though."

Coryanna smiled, "I've been trying very hard to get it to show."

"Whatever your doing is working."

"It's good to know. So you don't want to be a Lady Knight?"

"Naw," Ali said, "it's not for me."

"There you two are!" Thom called, Alan followed behind him. "Are we riding this summer or next?"

"Hold your breeches up!" Ali called, mounting up. Coryanna followed suit. "Cory and I are talking!" Coryanna smiled.

"Well, come on, you're intelligent people, talk and ride."

"Race ya to the path!" Ali yelled, galloping past them. Alan turned with a laugh and followed. Thom waited for Coryanna to lead her horse toward him, they cantered behind the twins. Chatting and laughing.

"Were are Roald and Kali?" Coryanna asked.

"They have matters of state to address," Thom said, a frown on his face.

"Matters of state? Is it a secret?"

"It won't be soon," Thom sighed, "the King and Queen are talking marriage."

"For Roald and Kali?"

"Yes."

"But-?"

"I know. It's a duty thing. Roald told me he doesn't mind and Ali says Kali feels the same. Duty," Thom hissed at the word.

"That's awful."

"Last I heard, Roald is marrying a Yamani princess and Kali is marrying the emperor of Carthak."

"And they don't mind?"

"They do," Thom said, "but they want to do what's right for the Kingdom. Treaties."

"Well," Coryanna said, "my sisters can stop fighting over Roald now."

Thom laughed, "He'll like the silver lining."

"They can dance with Raymond of Tirrsmont," Coryanna said, "he's supposed to be an eligible bachelor."

"And I'm not?"

"Oh, you are," Coryanna said, seriously, "but you're much too liberal for a husband."

Thom laughed, "Ah, that's why I'm not targeted by the Court Mother's."

"That's it exactly."

"I thought Raymond was your conquest."

"I hope not," Coryanna said. "He frightens me."

"But he's danced with you a dozen times."

"I can't say no," Coryanna said, "it's not something an unattached lady can do." Coryanna wondered if she was unattached now, her stranger may have laid claim with his kiss. Then another thought crossed her mind. What if Thom thought the two of them attached?

"Hurry up, Slowpokes!" Ali called. Coryanna and Thom urged their horses to catch up and the conversation was lost.


	11. Propriety

_I couldn't update for a while! It was very annoying. Thanks for the patience._

_Taya Cara: Nope, Thom is not the Marquis_

_Lady Caitlin of Illinois: No you have no choice! Muwhawhawhaw! :) Thanks for the love!_

Propriety

Coryanna was actually looking forward to this ball. She wanted to reassure Roald that his rumored marriage would turn out fine and she wanted to ask Kali if she minded hers more than Thom had let on. She hadn't expected to be sharing the sentiments with the entire court. The King and Queen announced the marriages' that night. So their highnesses could spare only a few moments each talking to Coryanna.

Still she didn't lose heart, she thought she would speak with Thom for a time. But Thom was no where to be found. Instead she spent the first few dances consoling her tearful sisters.

Raymond of Tirrsmont asked her to dance after a while and she accepted gratefully. Her sisters had drenched her bodice in tears. Coryanna smiled at him with kindness, her thoughts had wandered to her nameless stranger. She let Raymond clutch her waist a little too closely, she let him dance so close as to be improper and she let his mind rove as hers did.

They danced a few songs and Coryanna snapped back to reality. She wondered where Thom was. She wondered how long she danced with Raymond. She curtsied to him and tried to make excuses to get back to her sisters.

"I think I saw them go this way," he said. She smiled and let him lead her off the dance floor. She had only wanted to go back to her table and melt into her chair. She decided to shake him as soon as she found a friendly face.

"Outside?" Coryanna asked, as they passed from the ball room to the balcony and out to the garden. The air was warm and crickets chirped. If her sisters had gone out here she wasn't sure she wanted to find them. "No, Raymond. I would rather go back inside."

"We'll just take a stroll, if I'm wrong I'll escort you back to your table."

"Alright," Coryanna said, with a shaking voice. It was silly to be nervous.

They walked the dark path through flowering bushes and tall trees. Coryanna had butterflies in her stomach. She knew that this was not a place she should be. And she worried about Thom. Her eyes looked around for her sisters and friendly faces.

"I don't see them," Coryanna said, "maybe they went back inside?"

"Are you scared?" Raymond asked.

"What?" Coryanna asked. "No, I don't-"

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Raymond grabbed her waist roughly and pressed her into the rough bark of the nearest tree.

"Stop that," Coryanna said weakly. "What are you doing?"

"You intoxicate me," he said, bringing his lips to her neck and licking the bare skin.

"Lord Raymond, this is hardly gentlemanly!"

"What do you care?" Raymond said, "I've heard the rumors. You've been in and out of Lord Thom's rooms."

"What? I don't know who's been spreading that poison!"

"I heard it from your own sister," Raymond spat, pulling the strap of her dress down.

"What?"

"She said you're of loose morals, and I could feel you teasing me all night."

"I never!" Coryanna said, Raymond's hands roved uncomfortably across her waist and chest. Her mind desperately clutched to any emotion she could find, but there were too many emotions for her to focus on one. Her mind scrambled for purchase. She found her arms and pushed him away. She wasn't strong enough to do more than move him an inch. She struggled and yelled a little. Raymond put a hand over her mouth. She continued to screech and squirm. Voices interrupted Raymond's hands, and he groaned painfully.

Raymond roughly grabbed Coryanna's intricate hair and pulled her lips to his and dropped her to the grass. He left her, a tangled mess in the dirt. She was shocked.

The voices came closer and Coryanna didn't know whether to hide or go to the voices and ask for help. She froze in her spot.

"I don't know where she went," said a voice.

"She was wit' Raymond of Tirrsmont," said the other voice. Coryanna's ears perked at the name. Where they talking about her? Coryanna's ears stopped roaring and she focused. "Ye're worried about her?"

"Yes. I had thought... She told me he frightens her."

"The rumors tell it different."

"I trust her, okay?"

"I know, and I don't believe everythin' I hear, but some words are true."

"Don't worry about it then," said the voice that had to be Thom. "Just keep your eyes peeled for me?"

"Always, Thommy." The second voice disappeared and Coryanna called Thom softly with a dry throat. She made no noise. She tried again.

"Thom?" she croaked.

A quickened pace found Coryanna in a heap, clutching her kness. "Cory!" Thom cried. "What happened?"

"I couldn't find you," she said, clinging to his shoulders.

"I'm sorry."

"Raymond told me we'd find you."

"It's all my fault, honey," Thom murmured. "I should have talked to you."

"Thom, why weren't you here?"

"I'm so sorry," Thom said, scooping her up in his arms. He snuck her to her rooms with care while she heaved dry sobs to his chest. She realized she was on her bed after a time and looked for Thom, who was watching her anxiously.

"Are you angry with me?" Coryanna asked.

"Don't be foolish," Thom said, "why on earth would I be mad at you?"

"You weren't around tonight, at the ball. I had gotten used to talking to you. I look forward to dancing with you."

"I'm so sorry, Sweet."

"Why?"

"Because my absence led to Raymond's... behavior. I saw him take you to the garden, and it tore me up to think you would go with him. But I remembered that you said he frightened you. And I realized it. Too late it seems."

"You were perfectly timed, Thom," Coryanna said, staring at her sheets. "I'm shook up is all. But that wasn't what I meant. I wanted to know why you weren't at the ball with me. I thought I said something to upset you."

Thom smiled sadly, "No, of course not. I was worried about you. That's why I wasn't at the ball."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It will in a moment. Just. This is hard for me. But I owe you some truth," Thom paused and Coryanna waited. "You see, I had thought you had perhaps thought yourself... attached to me. And I care about you, Sweets. But I couldn't do that. Let you think that we might have... a future together. It's not fair to string you about. I thought I ought to let you have an opportunity to find someone who could marry you. My hanging about you deters others as you might have noticed."

"I still don't understand," Coryanna said, but Thom seemed unable to say anymore. "You don't like me?"

Thom's eyes shot up, "No! Of course I like you. You're an amazing friend."

"I meant the other way," Coryanna said, "you're not interested in more than friendship with me." Thom looked at the floor again, nodding silently. "So your interested in another woman?" Thom shook his head. "No women?" Thom cringed at that. "You don't want to marry anyone. So you let me try to find someone else."

"Yes," Thom whispered.

"You could have told me that without the secrecy," Coryanna said, "I'm sorry, Thom, your are a very handsome man. And I have considered what might happen if we were to get attached or married. And as much as I love you, I don't feel the attraction. Any attraction at all."

"Really?"

"Sorry."

Thom laughed, "It's fine. I'm more worried about you, did Raymond...?"

"He was un-gentlemanly, to say the least," Coryanna said. "But I want you to stick with me at balls. Unless that cuts into your bachelor living?" Thom blushed. "Wait. Thom? Are you...? Do you prefer men to women?"

"Yes." Coryanna blinked for a moment and got off of her bed. She threw her arms around a surprised Thom.

"Foolish, mage," Coryanna told him as she pulled back.

"I'm not foolish," Thom argued with a smile.

"Sure you are," Coryanna said, "but its okay, that's why I like you."

Thom smiled at her, "You don't think I'm going against the Gods or something?"

"I think the Gods made you just as you are."

"Thank you."

Coryanna waved her hand as if to say there was nothing to thank, "Do other people know?" she asked after a moment.

"My family, and their Majesties. Some friends. But no one else."

"You'd think that would be in the court gossip," she said.

"There's not even a shred of it?"

"No. The reason you're such a hard catch is that you're off getting your mastery."

"Ah. After that it'll be tougher to hide."

"But your family accepts you? Don't they?"

"Yes. But I have an image," Thom said wryly. "And I have to be master mage Thom. The Court has to trust me to be the next Numair Salmalin."

"Big boots to fill," Coryanna said.

"Very."

"You're secret's safe with me."

"I figured it would be."

"Will you still dance with me at balls?"

"If you want me to."

"Of course I do."

"People might think we're attached."

"Let them."

"But what about you? Rumors fly fast."

"I know what rumors say about me. But, I don't have any attraction to the men at court. I'd rather you scare them off for me."

Thom smiled, "You need to find a husband though. Some rumors are true, and your family is rumored to poverty."

"I'll make money as Coryanna the mage," she told him. "I can figure out the rest later."


	12. The City

_sarabistarfire: Nope, I already did Thom and Tessa in To Kill a Lioness so I'm trying something new, although I love Thom. I know the whole Marquis thing is getting confusing, it will become clearer in the next chapter or so. They do want to Tirrsmont, it comes up this chapter. And Ali (whoops Aly) is going to the Cooper Isles in like two years. Ah, you are right, family pressure is coming up too_

_ps- I'm back, sorry I needed a little break from writing, I should be able to finish soonish._

_Thomluver: :) I'm back now and ready to write more!_

_Forget Me Not Blue: Thanks! More writing now..._

The City

Coryanna avoided Raymond at every turn, with Thom at her side this was no hard task. Raymond managed to escape notice when she spent time with Thom. Of course, when Coryanna found herself alone, or with her sisters, Raymond would pop up and stare. An event that enraged Thom to no end.

It had taken a lot of begging to have Thom leave the matter alone. Coryanna had to put the problems into perspective for him. She explained how her own honor was at stake, rumors of this story would spoil her name beyond recognition. Thom grudgingly agreed to drop the matter for now. So all Coryanna had to do was to be with someone at all times and hope that Raymond would lose interest.

That proved to be no problem as her friendship with Thom blossomed. They went riding together and studied magics and walked together. Often Thom would ask her if she was sure wanted to carry on as an attached couple. And every time Coryanna told him she wanted to focus on her studies and not over anxious suitors.

Coryanna started dreaming during the following week. Dreams that involved faceless hands grabbing and clutching. She normally woke doused with sweat, sticky hair plastered to her forehead. She didn't talk about her dreams, but she intentionally kept herself awake for long hours into the night which made dark circles appear beneath her eyes.

An early bedtime was imposed by her suddenly all too interested mother. Two nights before the next ball her sisters planned an outing to the city. Ella and Fiona needed new hair clips and face paint. So despite the fact that she didn't want to go to the city with her sisters, Coryanna was ordered to by her mother. As she tried to stay awake through the night, but eventually closed her eyes a moment longer than she should have.

Her dream was much like the others. Faceless and strong hands that pulled at her hair and clothes. But this time a second pair of hands grabbed her with the gentle force. The second pair of hands protected her from the angry faceless predator. She could look at this face, the face of her stranger from the city. The dream turned into their sweet kiss and Coryanna woke up, levitating a foot above her bed.

Coryanna fell crashing into her pillows with the realization that she had used magic, unintentionally of course, but still magic. She laughed aloud in joy. She wondered if she would see Thom this evening to tell him. She tried to attach herself to the feeling again, but couldn't find it. She sighed with resigned happiness. Coryanna dressed and looked for her sisters.

"Are we leaving?" Coryanna asked, seeing her sisters packing up.

"Almost," Fiona said, "mother wants to see you first."

"She does?"

"She wants to talk to you about Thom," Ella told her. Fiona jammed her elbow into her stomach and the two of them started fighting. Coryanna made her way to her mother's suite. The room was neat and tidy, her mother was powdering her face as she entered.

"Fiona and Ella said you wanted to speak with me."

Her mother smiled dully, "Coryanna, I've done poorly by you. You are so much your father."

Coryanna looked down, "Mother, I-"

"Are you having trouble with Thom, darling?"

"Trouble?"

"Yes, dear," she said, "in getting him to marry you?"

"Oh."

"Because, I can help dear. I hear you have bedded him, and there are plenty of ways to get him to marry you at this point."

"Mother," Coryanna said with crimson cheeks, "I have not bedded Thom or anyone."

"Oh, tish," she said, "it's nothing to be embarrassed about, dear. It's been done. Just don't let it get around as much as you have. You will need to marry him soon to squash those nasty rumors."

"And if I don't?"

"It would be quite stupid of you not to."

"What about love, Mother?"

"Love," she sniffed, "love grows from marriage, if you let it."

"Did you love Papa?"

"That's beside the point, don't you think?"

Coryanna dipped her head fighting tears, "I don't know, Mother."

"Of course you do," her mother snapped. "You do not marry for love. I thought that at least that fact would register in your thick skull."

"Why did Papa marry you?" Coryanna murmured.

"What did you say?"

"Why did Papa marry you?" she nearly shrieked.

"Young lady," the Countess said, drawing herself up, "you will not speak to me like that. You will not be allowed to go to the ball if this behavior continues. As your mother and as the Countess of Whitehorn I deserve respect."

Coryanna, trembling with suppressed rage, merely curtsied and left. The Countess turned to her mirror which suddenly had thin spider web cracks crawling across its surface.

Ella and Fiona gossiped their way to the city with Coryanna trailing behind in a huff. The twin rears of her sisters swayed together like metronomes. For a moment it seemed like Ella shot a develish glare at Coryanna, but Coryanna dismissed the glare in her anger.

The Contessa's skin burned with anger, why had her father loved her mother? Did he love her? Coryanna forced her breath to slow, and tried to think rationally. She sort of knew this didn't she? Her mother was a very different person from her father. Was their entire relationship based on bedding each other and status?

She shuddered at the thought, and dismissed it. The late count was far from stupid, he must have been tricked, Coryanna considered. The Countess said she knew how to get a man to marry her. Did she lie about being with child? Something of that sort, Coryanna assumed. Or the marriage was arranged. She calmed as rationality forced back her emotion. She tried to focus, the walk to the city hadn't taken as long as she thought. She had completely lost track of the turns and twists that her sisters had navigated so well. She hurried to walk with her sisters before they hit a heavy bit of crowd.

"Which shop are we off to?" Coryanna asked her sisters.

"The Linen's, first," Fiona said promptly.

"Yes, but Coryanna, you don't want to visit there, we're only picking up some packages. You can go over and browse the trinkets at Patrice's, that way we can take lunch early and be back at the palace in no time."

"Oh," Coryanna said, hesitant at going about the city by herself. She contented herself by noticing that Patrice's was just across the way from Linen's. "Alright," Coryanna said, Fiona looked down for a short moment and let out a funny cough. Ella quickly grasped Fiona's arm and tugged her away. Coryanna went to the shop, after waving at their backs.

The shop held millions of beautiful things, hair bobs and pins and other jewel's. The prices were reasonable as well, Coryanna was happy to lose herself among the pretty things. It took her an hour to realize that her sisters were not coming back for her. As the knowledge reached her she sighed, thanked the shop woman politely for helping her and left.

Shivers covered Coryanna's spine. She scanned the crowds, searching for her sisters. She definitely did not want to go wandering off alone, especially if she was wrong and her sisters just got caught up in their own shopping. Coryanna decided to check Linen's first.

The shop keeper at Linen's had not even seen her sisters. Tears sprung to Coryanna's eyes. She thought awful thoughts at her family and turned to leave the shop. As she got outside she wished she had thought to ask directions back to the palace. Coryanna swallowed, setting off in the wrong direction.

The buildings got more wretched, the air smellier. Coryanna was wary. The people she saw leered at her and she clutched her coin purse. She decided to turn around at the next alley way and try to find anything familiar. The alley way she chose was dark, Coryanna cursed her luck and her idiocy.

Coryanna gathered her courage and began walking. A noise startled her, a cat she realized as she turned. She scolded herself for being so easily frightened and turned back around. She found herself face to face with a man, Coryanna froze in fright.

"My, my, Raymond," said a soft voice. "What have you found?"


	13. Fear and Awe

_Gee that was a god awful place for me to stop wasn't it? Hope you enjoy the continuation of the story and the newly edited (though probably not perfect) chapters. And remember, reviews are good incentives for writers._

_Dancelikeyoujustdontcare: thanks! That makes me :D_

_too-much-of-a-book-lover: Sorry Sorry Sorry! I'm writing now see! Pretty words... _

_Clear Blue Rain: I was a little slow, but I'm glad you're enjoying my story! _

_princess pauline: That's cool, I haven't written in a while either. Thanks! I know I have atrocious grammar, but I've been making the effort. You are quite right, kissing a stranger is just... strange. I think it's sort of like she's messsed up emotionally cause of the whole magic thing, but after this chapter you might just go for slut. *Shrug* Thank you for all the praise! I'm glad you like my Coryanna, she's got a bit of a 'tude in this chapter, but I think has good reason for it. :)_

Fear and Awe

Coryanna's blood ran cold. Raymond of Tirrsmont stood before her. Two men that she did not know stood behind him. They did not look friendly.

"Hello, Coryanna," Raymond murmured, placing a hand on her waist. She nearly fell from shock at the touch. "Boy's, look what I got here. A treat for all of us."

The boy's laughed.

"Please," Coryanna managed to stutter out. "Let me go."

"I'm sorry dear," one of the boys said with a gleam in his eye. "Didn't quite hear you there." Coryanna tried to step back and nearly tripped over her skirts. She thought she ought to scream for help, and sucked in air.

That was when Raymond grasped her waist more firmly and slapped a hand over her mouth. Her scream came out as a muffled yelp.

"Shh," Raymond cooed, his eyes gummy with anticipation. Coryanna struggled in his grip. "Don't worry, we'll take good care of you, lamb."

"Should we take her somewhere else?" a trembling boy asked.

"No," Raymond growled. He dropped Coryanna in the ground, who immediately tried to crawl away. She was too slow, Raymond straddled her, knocking her head against to cobblestones below. Coryanna saw stars above her eyes and struggled to breathe.

A hard slap woke her up, her cheek and eye stung from the contact. Coryanna looked to see that Raymond's breeches were open and that her chest was completely exposed. Her delicate bodice was torn and lying a foot away. Raymond was tearing at her skirts.

Coryanna felt a tear slide down her chin, her mind was stuck. A few spare thoughts passed through her mind. I should have taken the anti pregnancy charm, she thought as Raymond growled in triumph.

Suddenly a weight was lifted off of Coryanna's chest. A thud and a couple of yells sounded in her ears as she blacked out.

***

This time a slight change of air woke Coryanna. Her eyes fluttered and she saw a new face above her. Her stranger.

Coryanna moved, and quickly discovered the pain of her injuries. She hissed. The stranger frowned.

"You a'right?"

"Not quite," Coryanna moaned.

"I'd ask what happened, but that seems fair clear to me."

"You think?"

"You need a healer," he sighed.

"No," she murmured.

"What do you mean you don't?"

"I can't," Coryanna said, "Raymond will be disgraced and I will be the scorn of the fief. I cannot afford such a thing."

"You're swelling up."

"I'll go to..."

"Why not, Thom?" the stranger asked.

"He'll kill him."

"He won't, he-"

"He will kill him. That will be worse. And more than that bastard deserves. What I need is clothing."

"How 'bout the Temple of the Great Mother? They... deal with this sort of thing."

Coryanna locked eyes with her saviour, she could feel the jangle of nervous tension. The fierce desire to shy away. "You don't have to help me, if you don't-"

He growled. "Fine. Come on." He winced as he gripped her waist.

"You're arm!" Coryanna exclaimed. His arm was dangling uselessly at his side.

"It's dislocated."

"That's generally a bad thing," Coryanna said as she forced her aching muscles to move. His lip was split and he was littered with darkening bruises. "Come on. We'll help each other."

"My place is close," he muttered. Coryanna hesitated for the barest moment, but nodded. He dragged her while she braced him. They stuck to the shadows, avoiding the notice of onlockers as best they could with the slow pace. The were both thankful and fearful of the sun dipping low beneath the houses.

The stranger finally reached a door and instructed Coryanna to open it. When they both tumbled in Coryanna shut and bolted the door. "You need a healer," she told him as she faced him, looking at his arm.

"I'm fine," he hissed, "You're the one needs a healer."

Coryanna groaned and finally asked, "What is your name anyway?"

He looked up at her, his eyes sharp, after a long moment he said, "My name is Marq."

"Do you have anything you can spare for me? Clothing wise?"

"That drawer," Marq tossed his head to the side. Coryanna took in the state of the room. The place wasn't much more than that, a heavy matt lay on the far side of the room, with blankets. There was a table, and something that might have been a fire pit, and a large pot full to the brim nearly with grimy water. There also was a table, that was very obviously crooked and next to the table was battered traveling tack. The tack was what Marq had pointed to. Coryanna fished out a pair of breeches and a shirt which she hastily put on, she didn't worry herself with modesty, she didn't really have and flesh left to expose to her saviour after Raymond and his friends had their way with her clothes.

"What happened to Raymond, and the others?" Coryanna asked. She tugged at the clothes a little. The shirt and breeches were both too long, but the pants at least could rest on her hips, the shirt keep sliding down, exposing her chest more than she liked.

Instead of an answer to her question Coryanna heard a loud popping crack and whirled around to see Marq, cringing in pain on his knees, his arm back in his socket.

"Goddess!" Coryanna cried out, kneeling by him. She touched his face lightly and felt a shock strike through her, a blinding flash of something powerful. Her vision swam in front of her eyes and when she regained her sight Marq's face was no longer swelling up, no longer bloody. Instead of clutching his arm, he was clutching her.

"Rye! Rye?" he called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. I need to- Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"You healed me," he told her as he edged her to his bed. "Gave me a shock, but I'm fine. You could have done that earlier, you know."

"No," she murmured sleepily, "I can't control it. I couldn't do it."

"Huh." Marq was quiet for a long moment before he asked, "Rye? Are you okay? Did they...?"

"No," Coryanna said. "I'm fine, they hadn't done... that."

"Good," he murmured. Marq laid down next to the girl, he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," she told him.

"You didn't do anything to be sorry for," he said sternly.

She turned to face him, the stranger who was not a stranger. "Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Hold me like this, or when we-"

Marq blushed, which amused Coryanna greatly, she had never seen a man blush like that, "I'm sorry-"

She tried to imitate his tone as she said, "You didn't do anything to be sorry for." His grin was sheepish, she liked it. And she felt it, a pull, an urge to close all distance between them. To say in body what she couldn't say in mind. The palpable sensation that she had felt, the tugging of her heart telling her that she had found something. Someone.

And so, with her pulse humming in her veins, and her emotional barriers cracked she did the irrational. The foolish, perhaps, but something that felt natural as breathing. The safety she felt in this strangers arms was stronger than any other feeling in her memory. She brought her lips to Marq's and closed the gaps between herself and him. She rode the slope of pleasure with the man who had stolen her heart.

She had never been more comfortable in a bed than she had sharing his.


	14. The Marquis

_Sarabistarfire: Thank You, it's good to be back! I'm sorry you're perplexed. I completely understand and you have a lot of great questions! Except that last one, but I'll get to that. Let me try to help. Marq saves her from almost getting raped by Raymond & co. (Yes, he is the Marquis! Took me long enough, didn't it?) This chapter will tell you why he's always in the lower city. Raymond was in the lower city because Fiona is a lot more evil than Ella, (something you won't get to see for another chapter or two.) Yes, she does sleep with Marq. Yes, it does seem slut-y, but hopefully I allude to the reasoning for that in this chapter, though you may be dissatisfied with it, I know I am on some level. It explains Coryanna's reasons (she's an emotional mess), but I sort of leave Marq's reasons as "he's a guy" *Shrug* We'll see how it works out. Future edits might change that scene._

_Clear Blue Rain: He is and will remain a sweetie!_

_Dancelikeyoujustdontcare: No, Thom's not in love with him to, although that would be funny... :P_

The Marquis

The sun was up before Coryanna, the soft shimmer of light on her cheek woke her. Marq sat across the room, his back against the wall. He wore only breeches, he looked both thoughtful and slightly angry. Coryanna sat up, her nude form exposed. Marq glanced away, as Coryanna pulled the blanket around her securely. There was silence for a long moment.

"I'm sorry," Marq said.

"No- I- It was my fault-"

"No," he said, "I knew what I saw, and Thom told me-"

"What? What did Thom tell you about me?" A rush of absolutely unnecessary rage burst painfully through Coryanna's chest. The emotion was painful and Coryanna forced it back. She looked into herself and found the glass wall that had always separated her magic from surfacing. It was still there, but now the thick, smooth surface was somewhat malleable. As if a glass weaver had heated it to become a bowl. Coryanna tested her magic, pulling it up, filling the bowl. Concentrate, she told herself. So she did, Coryanna focused on her shoe, discarded on the far side of the room. She memorized it, and sent her magic to it. It was painful, but she persisted. For a long moment nothing happened, she sent all of herself toward the shoe, and when she thought she could stand it no more the shoe twitched.

The sudden and horribly painful rush of pure joy ripped through her, and the shoe flew up and hit the wall with a resounding thud. A crack was visible where the shoe had hit.

"Oh! Goddess! I'm so sorry! I'll get that fixed, I swear to it!" Coryanna yelped. Marq cursed.

"You did that? I thought, ye said ye couldn't do that! Control yer Gift like that."

"I didn't know. Mithros that hurt."

"Sorry for that too, I shoulda took you straight to a healer, what did I do instead-?"

"You didn't do anything," Coryanna snapped, "I jumped on you didn't I? And since you're a man you probably don't think with anything other than your nether region." Marq looked at her quizzically for a long moment before letting a bawdy laugh escape his lips. Coryanna began to laugh, too. "I'm sorry. I don't seem to be in control of myself in the least. What did Thom say about me?"

"He said he was to help you with yer Gift, that it was tied up with you're emotions and that it was hard for you. If you don't mind me sayin' though, it seems like you are a very emotional creature. Not to say you don't have a right. My bet is yer more than confused at the moment."

Coryanna took a breath, she shoved her emotions away, better to set herself back in her studies than to feel the wrenching pain. "Confused isn't the right word."

"Aye, and what is the right word?"

"I'm not sure there is one," she told him and sighed.

"Do you feel alright otherwise?"

"Hmm? Yes, I'm fine."

"'Cause you was bruised up fair bad last night. And now you're bright as a spring rose. Must healed yourself as well as me."

"That's a good theory," Coryanna said, inspecting her face and body. It was true, she had definitely been in major physical pain last night, but there were no bruises or bumps on her skin at all. "I didn't know I could heal."

"Seems you can," Marq said amiably. He rose and rummaged around his scant packs. He brought out a loaf of bread and a bottle, he broke the bread in half and offered it to her along with the bottle, which turned out to be some sort of fruit juice. She only then realized how ravished she was. "Now, why don't you tell me about how you came to be in the lower city and by yerself no less?"

"My sisters," Coryanna muttered darkly. "They don't like me very much. It was probably Ella's idea. She's got eyes for Thom."

Marq's eyes darkened, he frowned. "Aye."

"And I embarrassed her in front of him once, she's been cold to me since then."

"And she talked Fiona into it, not hard to do since Fiona doesn't have enough brains to rub together."

Marq smiled sadly, "You ought to get back."

"My absence is going to be the biggest gossip in all the court."

"Don't fret, darlin'" Marq replied. "Ali'll help you, I'd wager. I can get you in with her, with none the wiser."

"You can?"

"Sure I can, a friend of the family, thats me." There was a hint of something dark in his voice. Marq rummaged around his his packs again and pulled out a heavy riding cloak and draped it around her, careful not to touch her skin. "Come on."

Coryanna followed him through the grimy streets of the lower city and up toward the palace. She kept her hood up and her head down, just in case. There wasn't much Coryanna could do, but follow Marq. She tried to speak with him, find out who he was, what he was, but her voice was lost in the bustle of the city.

He led her to the far side of the palace where the unused wings were. A large grove of trees hid the southern wall from view. It was a horrible place to have trees Coryanna speculated, an enemy could easily invade from here. She thought it a horrible lapse in security by the King and his men. Though, Coryanna considered, the wall was thick and sturdy, there was nothing of great importance here. The barracks for the Riders and the Kings Own were not far away and no army larger than half a Rider group could move quietly through those woods. And surely they were patrolled?

Marq took no time at all to part a section of large bushes to reveal a crease in the stone, when Coryanna pushed the rock face it receded into itself, showing a secret passage.

"That'll lead you directly to Ali."

"Thank you, Marq," Coryanna said. "You're wonderful."

"I'm not," he said, his voice gruff, nearly angry.

"Of corse you are," Coryanna told him. "You've been-"

"Look," he cut her off, "you best get inside."

"Wait, I don't- How can I get a hold of you again? I don't want to... not see you."

"It's best you don't."

"But-"

"You're the daughter of a nobleman. I'm not. You belong with noble blood. With Thom."

"That's stupid," she told him.

"Least of all me. I'm not who you think I am."

"I don't know who you are at all," she protested.

"I'm not some city dregs. I'm the Marquis."

Coryanna's eyes widened, her heart stopped. "What?"

"Get in, Ali's on the other side," the Marquis said, he pushed her inside and slid the rock shut.

It was dark inside the passage. Although Coryanna could make out a light far away from where she stood. She had no choice, she realized. All she could do was walk. She thought it through as she did.

The Marquis was a thief. Not only a thief, but one of the greatest thieves of all time. The right hand of the Rouge himself. The Provost's men placed nearly twenty deaths to his name. He was surely the most wanted man in the Tortall, if not the entire Realm. And she had bedded him!

But, Coryanna thought as she continued to walk.

But, there had been something in him that she had seen, something intrinsically good and kind. He had saved her from Raymond. He had cared for her. He was Thom's friend. Would Thom befriend a thief? A dangerous man? Hadn't he had accepted her peculiar emotional traits easily? Willingly believed that she was telling him truth? And when he had loved her, he had been gentle, sweet and tender.

He had been angry as he shoved her away, a part of Coryanna's mind warned her. But even that she could dismiss, because he had thought that she was better than him.

Or maybe, she considered, it was that he did not want her. Maybe he didn't want to get saddled with a noble girl, a volatile one at that. One who could not control her emotions, let alone her Gift. Those thoughts were painful in themselves, but the added wash of pain as they saturated her raw core made a her stumble to the rocky floor.

Coryanna forced herself up, the light was very close now, and she could see beyond it a small door. She fumbled with the latch and worked it open. The room she entered wasn't nearly as dark, but she was instantly afraid. A sharp knife was braced at her throat almost instantly.

"What are you doing here?" asked a familiar voice.

"Ali?"

"Cory?"

"Good morning."

Ali laughed and removed the knife from her friends throat. "Sorry, you scared me."

"Scared you?" Coryanna asked with a smile.

"No one uses that passage except for emergency," she explained. "As soon as I heard the alarm for the passage go off I got my dagger. I thought you were an assassin or something and that you were sneakin' in."

"Me though?"

"Aw, cut it out. What were you doing out there anyway?"

"Fiona and Ella left me in the city."

"They did?"

"Yes."

"Goddess! Is that the Marquis' riding cloak? Did he find you and get you back?" Ali asked.

"Oh, yes. It is. Will you get it back to him for me?" Coryanna asked, pulling the cloak off.

"Of course," Ali said. "You won't tell anyone what I did will you? I'm not supposed to defend the passage myself. I'm supposed to get help."

"I won't tell, but I will say that you should go get someone! What if it was someone dangerous."

"No one ever comes through there, but the Marquis. He sure is something, ain't he?"

"He is something," Coryanna said with a smile.

"Well don't worry either way," Ali said, "I'll cover for you, we spent the night together in my room. I was with my Da. He knows how to keep a secret, too."

"And he won't mind?" Coryanna asked.

"Naw," Ali said, she stretched as the morning bell rang. "Come on," she said, "I'll get you some clothes and we'll head down to breakfast so people can see us together. It'll be the details that will squash the gossip."

"Thanks, Ali. You're a good friend."

"Aw, Cory, you'd do the same for me."

***

Ali and Coryanna found Ella and Fiona giggling in the gardens after breakfast. They were talking to a few court ladies, including Kali. Ali took control by calling out to the princess and dragging Coryanna over.

"Hey, Kali, sorry I couldn't make it last night," Ali greeted. Coryanna was greeted to furious stares by her sisters, and curious malicious stares by the rest. Kali smiled at Coryanna and Ali.

"Ali, there you are," Kali said, catching on quickly. Ella and Fiona had most likely been dropping hints, Coryanna guessed. "Where were you off to last night?"

"Oh, Da got in last night, Cory and I ate dinner with him and we were up late catching up. We bored Cory half to death, I think, because she fell asleep."

Kali laughed and said, "Poor, Cory. I know how those two get."

The remainder of the Court ladies warmed to Coryanna as the conversation wore on. Ella and Fiona were furious. Kali suggested that she'd like to go riding and a quite a few girls agreed. Ella and Fiona, however, declined with sour expressions.


	15. Secrets and Lies

_dancelikeyoujustdontcare: Glad you love it! It's okay I don't think anyone saw it coming, if you did now would be a great time to review! :P Don't think you'll see the next one coming either, just trying out my shocking factor in this fic._

Secrets and Lies

Thom cornered Coryanna the next day. "Cory!" he yelped and picked her up in a long hug. "Goddess, I can't believe that foul-"

"Thom," she began, "I swear I'm fine."

"That's what the Marquis said," he muttered.

"You saw him?"

"Of course. He talked to me."

"What did he say?"

"He just told me what happened," Thom said. "That Raymond-"

"Did he tell you anything else though?"

"Was there something else to tell?"

Coryanna paused, Marq hadn't mentioned that she spent the night with him? How odd, she thought. "That I used my Gift," she said cautiously.

"What?" Thom grinned. "You did? I hope some of those bruises on Raymond were you're doing."

"I don't think so- Wait, you saw him? Where?"

"I taught him a little lesson in civility," he said, his face was grim.

Coryanna gasped, "What did you do?"

"Just a little spell to teach him that what goes up must come down."

"Excuse me?"

"He won't be interested in the court ladies for a while is all I'm saying."

"Oh, Thom," she murmured.

"He deserved it! Don't tell me you think he doesn't, I can understand why you don't want to turn him in, grudgingly, but don't you dare say he doesn't deserve any and all punishment I can dole out. I won't take that from you."

"No, I mean that he knows you know, He's a vindictive- well, he'll be out for revenge yet."

"Better me than you," Thom said. "I can take it."

"I appreciate the thought," Coryanna amended. "If not the deed."

Thom grinned at her brightly and he offered to walk her to her rooms. "So you used your Gift?"

"Not so loud," Coryanna hissed.

Thom winced, "Sorry, what did you do?"

"I threw my shoe."

"You threw a shoe?" Thom asked quizzically.

"And- Thom, I healed. Marq was beat up pretty bad after he rescued me and I healed him."

"Marq? The Marquis, you mean? I didn't know his name was Marq. That's funny."

"Funny?"

"Marq, the Marquis," Thom explained. "It makes sense. But, we keep getting off track. Tell me about using you're Gift!"

"It hurt," she said, "It was so very painful!" Coryanna described the feeling to Thom the best she could and he eagerly chimed in with theories about her core being so unused to emotions that she couldn't handle them like others could, that she her unemotional self was a shell that was stripped away leaving emotions to scrape against the unprotected self. Coryanna promised that they would work together after the next ball. Thom reminded her that it was barely a week away and they made noises about how quickly time was going. They reached her door when Thom stopped.

"Cory, what did you're mother say about you staying out all night?"

"I'm not entirely sure she noticed," Coryanna told him. "We were sort of fighting when I left, I'm hoping that it remains a little spat between us."

"Maybe you should mention that your sisters are-" The door opened to interrupt his words and Fiona stepped out.

"Coryanna," she said, voice soft, "Do come in, we wish to speak with you."

"Cory?" Thom questioned with a frown.

"I'll see you later," she told him. There was no need to get Thom wrapped up in the sibling rivalry, she thought as she waved him off. Thom nodded, took Coryanna's hand and kissed it perfunctorily before he left. Coryanna followed Fiona.

"Where's Ella?" Coryanna asked as she entered.

"With mother, at the tailors," she replied.

"Oh, but I thought-"

"This is a personal matter, Coryanna."

"What do you want then?"

"I am horribly vexed with you and Master Thom, sister dear."

"I am vexed with you and Ella," she replied.

"You deserved it," Fiona hissed.

"What?"

"You ruined everything."

"Fiona..."

"You had Thom ruin poor Raymond!"

"Poor, Raymond?"

"He is mine and he's ruined!"

"Fiona, Raymond tried to-"

"I know. He only tried to help you home. I sent him after you and you get your buddies to beat him up. You whore, how do you even have a dozen ruffian friends in the city?"

"Listen to me," Coryanna said taking Fiona's hand. Her sister slapped away the contact.

"No, you listen. I'm going to tell you something. I thought you ought to know, and I will bring this up if you try to take the inheritance from me, that the Count of Whitehorn is not your father."

Coryanna was silent for a long moment. "What?"

"You can ask Mother or Ella," Fiona said. "They know. So did Father. He was away for two years and when he got back you were there. Less than a year old! I'm pretty sure he can do the math."

"Who-? I don't-"

"Don't worry, Sis, I won't tell anyone yet. I wouldn't want to hear gossip about me and Ella. But don't you dare take the inheritance from me. I have no qualms about telling Uncle Fletcher."

Coryanna was numbed and Fiona left the room, practically singing. Coryanna stumbled to her own room, building up her emotional wall again, brick by brick.

***

Coryanna hadn't seen Thom since Fiona had shaken the foundation of her life. It had been a dark week. Not only did she take a blow by hearing Fiona's story, sshe also couldn't confide in the person that she truly wanted to confide in. And she missed Marq, desperately. Everything was falling on her at once and if she had thought to look she might have noticed that the glass wall that separated her from her Gift was twisting and blackening from abuse, from her constant toss of emotion forward and backward in her mind.

Her mother complained that she looked far too exhausted to go to the evenings ball, and although Coryanna agreed with her she argued. And so she was dressed in a flowing gown with half a pound of face paint on. She followed Ella and Fiona down to the ballroom, far enough away that she couldn't hear them speak.

Manners dictated that Thom could not come up to her until after the band began to play, but it was evident on his face that he desperately wanted to flout decorum and yell at her. She didn't blame him. She ignored him. He would come to her suite and would be turned away, he sent her notes that she did not reply to and he had even sent Ali, despite all of Ali protests. Coryanna had seen Ali and spun a tale about being sick. Ali told her to avoid Thom a few more days, to teach him a lesson and left.

So Thom was looking daggers at her while the King and Queen began the first waltz. He did not notice Fiona and Raymond both looking at him. That made Coryanna nervous, what were they thinking? Raymond looked remarkably well considering the beatings he had had. Coryanna suspected that someone had healed him, but she saw him wince when he moved. Coryanna then realized that the surface wounds had been healed, the bruised and cuts, but anything that couldn't be seen was still there and painful. Coryanna was fiercely happy at that, but noticed that a few of the chandelier lamps flickered overhead. She quickly reigned in her emotion. As she reigned it in she winced, unsure if the pain was lessened due to exposure or to numbness.

Thom had found his way over, the stark annoyance visible on his face. He bow to her curtly before he took her arm and led her to the balcony instead of the dance floor. Coryanna followed him numbly, wondering if the truth was something she was ready to tell.

The balcony was deserted and the sun was nearly set, the moon rising in the west. Coryanna sighed and looked at Thom who sucked in a long low breath before he began.

"Cory, what on earth has been up with you?"

"I told Ali I was sick-" Coryanna began, skirting the truth..

"Yes, and I don't believe that for a second. You could have come to me, knowing full well that I could heal you no problem. Fiona said something to you and now you're upset. So spill. What happened?"

"Thom," she murmured, how did he know her so well? "I don't think I can explain it. I'm not who I thought I was."

"What does that mean?"

"Fiona told me that my father was not the Count of Whitehorn. That my mother had... Well, you know..."

Thom was silent for a long moment, then hugged Coryanna fiercely, "That doesn't change you, Cory. Not one bit. You are still you."

"I don't know who my real father is, Thom," she murmured.

"Your real father was the one who cared for you and called you his own," he told her. "If you want we can look into who this other man is. But it wouldn't change you, or anything about you."

Coryanna breathed. His words made sense. She was still herself and that wouldn't change a thing, the late count cared for her and she loved him. That was enough for now.

"What do you mean look into who this other man is?" she asked.

Thom smiled sheepishly, "I have friends who can help with that. I guess you don't know, but," Thom lowered his voice as a couple strolled onto the balcony. "my father is the King's spymaster."

Coryanna grinned, "He is? Truly? I didn't even know there was such a thing."

"Oh sure, he's a brilliant man, my Da, you'll meet him soon I'd wager."

Coryanna turned a little at the noise on the balcony, it had suddenly gotten crowded with couples. Including, Coryanna was annoyed to find, Raymond and Fiona. They whispered loudly to a group of courtiers. All of which stared at her and Thom. She drew closer to Thom instinctively, she could feel the heat of anger radiating from Raymond.

"Thom, something bad is coming," she told him, she saw Roald detach himself from the group and come toward them, his eyes gleamed with shrouded annoyance

"What's going on?" Thom asked the two of them.

"I don't know yet," Roald admitted, "whatever it is isn't good."

Coryanna heard it first, a gasping exclamation, "He's a swish?" She couldn't speak. How had it gotten out? How had it happened when there wasn't even a whisper of it? The gossip kept coming at them.

"No. No, I don't think so, he's just focused on his mastery isn't he?" another voice asked.

"He's with the youngest Contessa of Whitehorn, isn't he?"

"I knew there was something off, he's the Lioness's son, something had to be wrong about him."

"No, he's definitely more interested in men than women. I know he never asked me to dance. It all makes sense."

"I knew he was one, I always knew."

Roald took Thom's arm and murmured in his ear. Thom's face was pale in the darkness. This wasn't fair, Coryanna thought, not right. Thom wasn't part of this, not really. He anger rose to the surface, ripping painfully through her.

A voice called out from somewhere in the mass of crowd, "Your highness you might want to step away from Lord Thom over there. He's of a male preference." The voice sounded suspiciously like Fiona's. Roald paid the voice no attention, but continued to mutter in Thom's ear.

Fire raced through Coryanna's veins as she responded to the taunt. That was not right. And she would fix it. For Thom. Thom had done a million things for her and now it was time to repay that debt. "I wouldn't spout such lies if I were you. I know Thom won't react to your poison, but I don't have such patience."

Coryanna faced the crowd and spoke again, her voice steady, "Thom, I know you wanted to wait for your mother and mine to meet before you announced this to the court, but I find it best to destroy poison before it leaks out too far. Thom of Pirate's Swoop and I are engaged to be married, assuming of course that our parents consent to the match. Of which we have little thought to think. So I would appreciate the lies to cease. They are preposterous. Isn't that right, Thom?"

Thom paused for a moment before replying, "Yes, Coryanna. Exactly." He reached forward to grasp her hands, a mixture of gratitude and worry in his eyes.

"Let's go back to the dance, Thom," she said, shoeing him away, "And leave the nasty gossip outside." And so they did, Roald with them.


	16. A New Understanding

_Clear Blue Rain: You are so smart! There's a reason he's got the repetitive name of Marq, The Marquis, just you wait! And I'm glad you got shocked, that's my goal :p You are so right to wonder how Marq will react also!... but not until the chapter after this one. Sorry :D_

_dancelikeyoujustdontcare: Yay! Good instinct! Her father won't be revealed just yet, but its coming!_

_Unfortunately this might be a short chapter, we shall see. (They've been longer though see! See! *pats self on back* yay. :D )_

A New Understanding

Coryanna had escorted a shocked Thom to his rooms the night before and hadn't seen him all morning. So now, she decided, it was time to face him. Apologize for her impromptu proposal; he couldn't be mad at her. She had meant well, and they could break it off if he wanted. Something dramatic and potentially embarrassing, should she do it? Should he? Would he not want to break it off? That might cause too much suspicion for him, he had his image to maintain after all. It didn't matter to her, Marq wasn't interested in a Noble girl. Besides he was a thief.

She stopped in her tracks. She didn't care about what people said about the Marquis, she knew him. She missed him. She might even be in love with him. No, no, she thought briskly, now is not the time. She reached Thom's room in moments and knocked on the door. She glanced around; making sure that no one saw her go into a man's rooms, unescorted, but she saw no one. The door opened, but Thom was not on the other side. Instead a tall lean man with a mop of brown hair and gleaming hazel eyes answered the door. Coryanna thought his nose a bit beaky before she lowered her eyes and curtsied.

"Pardon me," Coryanna said, "Is Thom available? I only wanted a word with him."

A crooked grin broke across his face and she saw that he was handsome. "Sure, lass, he's here," he replied and stepped aside for her to enter.

"Hello, Cory," Thom called in greeting. "Da, this is Contessa Coryanna of Whitehorn. Cory, this is my Da." Coryanna blushed at the lack of address Thom had given his father, Thom smirked at her, rolled his eyes and continued, "the Baron George Cooper of Pirates Swoop."

George shot another grin at the two of them and said, "Sorry te steal him away from ye, lass. Thommy's doing a bit o' business for me."

Coryanna remembered that Thom's father was the spymaster and she nodded her understanding, "It's not you stealing from me, but me from you. Please, don't let me interrupt."

George causally raised an eyebrow at Thom who nodded. Coryanna might not have noticed the movement, but she felt the silent question and answer erase the smudge of tension in the air.

George leaned against Thom's desk coolly, "Well, then. Jon and I are concerned about this man, this Daneth fellow. He's some sort of mage as far as we can tell. Not a great one, as Numair tells it, but more a persuader of a kind. A collector."

"A collector?"

"Aye, a collector of mages, unique ones, I hear. He's the one we've been hearing whispers about all year. The one that's in league with the immortals? Gets 'em to steal young'uns and then brainwashes 'em. That's where Numair and Daine have been at, tailing him. Chasing him our way. We shoulda caught up with him an age ago, outside of Trebond. Coram sent some men with us, but he slipped the bag over our eyes. They've made their way to the capitol."

"And you want the Marquis to help us."

"And a rider group or two to back us up if we need it. Daine sent me a falcon this morning, outlying their whereabouts."

"Sensible," Thom commented.

"I consider myself a sensible man," George grinned at his son, "On occasion."

"I never doubted you," his son replied, matching his smile.

"So hand this over to Marq." He handed Thom a satchel and a note. "That's all he'll need, I'd think."

"I had wondered," Thom began as he gathered the bag in his arms, "Marq, the Marquis? Seems a bit silly, doesn't it?"

"Another sensible thought of mine, actually," George told him. "When we trained Marq he needed a code name, so that he could go undercover like he has. He's one of our best men."

"Yes, that's for certain," Thom agreed as he took the bundle out of his sitting room and into his bed chamber. Coryanna stood stock still, what did that mean? Was Marq a thief? A spy? Both?

"I want to thank you, Lass," George said quietly, interrupting her thoughts. "For helping Thom out. I know it must be costing you. I had thought at first that you were takin' advantage. But Thom trusts ye. And now that I meet you, I do as well. I wanted to say thank you, Thom has a hard time of it here, with his mother's reputation and his liberal ideals. It's good for him to have a friend like you. So just consider that anything we can do, my wife and I, te help. With anything. We will."

"I don't- I..."

"It's a sacrifice you've given, and it deserves it's due," George insisted.

"It's-"

But before Coryanna could finish Thom entered the room again and George cut her off. "Another thing before I go Thom, don't tell yer sister what we're doing. She'll want to join and she'll find a way."

"Ali is a persistent girl."

"She's stubborn, like her Ma," George said flatly. Thom smiled and chuckled in agreement. "Anyhow, I've a few things to round up. A pleasure to met ye, Lass." And with a short bow he left the room.

"Cory," Thom began while she was still stunned by George's exit. "I wanted to say thank you. You've gone completely mental, but I appreciate it."

"I didn't do anything," Coryanna muttered.

"You save my reputation," Thom told her seriously. "You're committing social suicide. It doesn't even matter how we go from here. Either we break it off, and you become a social outcast, having lost a fiancee or we go through with a marriage and... well, I'm sorry you're wonderful and beautiful-"

"I know, Thom," she said, "And I don't know the solution. You know none of the men at court interest me."

"You may meet one someday," he countered. Coryanna sighed, and Thom continued. "It won't be decided today, we'll think on it."

"Okay," she said. Then hesitated. "Thom? Your father said that Marq was trained?"

"Yes, as a spy?"

"Oh."

"Why? What?"

"I thought he was 'the Marquis.' The number one man on the Provosts' list. The thief and killer."

"That's just a story," Thom explained, "A front. So he can spy for us on all walks of life. He's mostly in on the lower city workings, but he does special assignments from time to time."

"Oh."

Thom looked closely at Coryanna. "Cory? Are you okay?"

Her face was blank in shock, "I didn't know. I spent- I talked with him. He didn't-"

"He's not really at liberty to discuss such things. At least that's my thoughts on the subject."

"It makes sense."

Thom paused for a moment. "You know," he said slowly. "Marq is going to meet me in the passageway behind Ali's room, but I did already promise Numair that I'd talk to Tkaa about something at the same time... It would be helpful, not necessary, but helpful, if you wanted to deliver the satchel to Marq tomorrow. Around noon?"

"Sure," Coryanna agreed a little to quickly. "Well, if you want. I could help."

Thom smiled as if he had finished a difficult scroll and understood it, but he grabbed Marq's satchel and gave it to Coryanna, who excused herself and went to her rooms, thinking.


End file.
